Tottenham vs Everton: Goalless Spurs Host Toffees With Club History On The Line

by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Geoffrey Ejiga

image Tottenham vs Everton: Goalless Spurs Host Toffees With Club History On The Line
Tottenham’s bounce-back season, after finishing 17th for back-to-back seasons, has begun with Spurs goalless in its first three games. Interestingly, the club has never gone four league games without scoring in their entire history. Roberto De Zerbi's side now sit 18th on a single point despite spending heavily on Savio, Omar Marmoush and Mykhailo Mudryk, who is now injured again after returning from over 600 days out. Everton arrive unbeaten in eighth place, riding a wave of late equalisers and a stoppage-time screamer from debutant Ainsley Maitland-Niles against Manchester United.
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270 Minutes Without a League Goal

Tottenham lost to Brentford on the opening Premier League weekend, lost to Newcastle on Matchday 2, and drew 0-0 at Nottingham Forest last Saturday without registering a single shot on target. They were rescued only by VAR, which disallowed Neco Williams' late strike for handball.

De Zerbi's side did beat Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the cup between the Brentford and Newcastle defeats. But in the league, where it counts, nothing has gone in.

Savio, Marmoush and Mudryk all featured against Forest, but even the new boys couldn’t find the net. If Spurs fail to score today, they will become the first team in the club's top-flight history to go four league matches without a goal. And for De Zerbi, it could mean an early exit.

Spurs: Mudryk Out Again, Maddison and Kudus In

In truth, Tottenham’s injury list at the start of the new Premier League season is cruel.

Mudryk, signed on deadline day after spending over 600 days away from competitive football, suffered an ankle injury in training this week and will miss six to eight weeks. He managed only a handful of substitute minutes before going down again. What’s more:

  • Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert are all sidelined with knee injuries.
  • Kulusevski returned to training but suffered a setback and has not been with the group this week.
  • James Maddison is the one positive piece of team news.

The English playmaker is fit to return after missing the last three matches with a shoulder injury picked up at Brentford. And Mohammed Kudus, who came off the bench in the last two league outings, is close to being ready to start. So De Zerbi may decide this is the moment to unleash both.

Everton: Unbeaten, Unfancied, and Untroubled

David Moyes' side are eighth on five points after a win over Crystal Palace, a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth and a 2-2 draw with Manchester United. They also beat Preston 4-0 in the EFL Cup.

The Everton squad has been competitive in every match despite a summer transfer window that left fans frustrated by the lack of activity.

The highlight so far has been Maitland-Niles' stoppage-time equaliser against United, drawing level with his first Toffees' contribution, on his debut.

If James Garner does not recover from the injury he picked up in that match, Maitland-Niles is likely to start alongside Harrison Armstrong or Hayden Hackney in central midfield.

Jack Grealish is expected to come in for Brennan Johnson on the wing. Christian Norgaard is the only confirmed absentee, out until October.

Although Tottenham won both legs last season, Everton went unbeaten, against a goalless Spurs today. So make sure to check out our expert’s Tottenham vs Everton prediction before you bet.