Premier League
Everton vs Spurs Preview, Team News, Likely Line-Ups, Key Man & Predicted Score
Spurs take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon looking to climb back into the top four. Here’s a match preview including team news and prediction
Tottenham take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon looking to climb back into the top four.
Spurs head into the game sitting sixth in the Premier League table but with Chelsea losing to Newcastle and Liverpool losing to Arsenal, they will be hoping to take advantage and move into second with a win tomorrow.
Andre Villas-Boas men edged past Hull City in the league last weekend thanks to a controversial late penalty while the Tigers then took them to penalties in the Capital One Cup in midweek before the north Londoners progressed in with an 8-7 shoot-out win.
Everton on the other hand beat Aston Villa 2-0 last Saturday to move up to sixth in the table – just a single point behind tomorrow’s opposition – so can reinforce their top-four credentials with a win on Sunday.
Two late goals from the Toffees secured a 2-1 win in this fixture last season and Spurs have lost on their last three trips to Goodison so will be hoping to end that run this time around.
Team News
Roberto Martinez will have to make do without the services of striker Arouna Kone after he was ruled out with a knee injury, so Romelu Lukaku should continue on his own in attack.
Defender John Heitinga is back in contention after recovering from a muscle problem that’s kept him out of the last two games, but he’s expected to be among the subs with Distin and Jagielka continuing their partnership at the back.
Defender Antolin Alcaraz and midfielder Darron Gibson remain on the sidelines through injury.
Tottenham are still without defender Danny Rose, who continues to struggle with a foot injury, so Jan Vertonghen may play at left-back with Kyle Naughton only considered as 50-50 for the game due to a thigh injury.
Winger Nacer Chadli picked up a hamstring problem in midweek so joins Emmanuel Adebayor and Zeki Fryers on the sidelines, but Andros Townsend is expected to be passed fit despite clashing with the advertising boards last weekend.
Younes Kaboul made a successful return to action against Hull but may drop back to the bench tomorrow.
Likely Line-Ups
Key Man
Romelu Lukaku: The powerful Belgian has been in red-hot form of late and Spurs will have to stop him if they want to pick up anything from this game.
Predicted Score
Everton 1-1 Tottenham: Goodison is never an easy place to visit and we can see this one ending in a closely-fought 1-1 draw.
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