Tottenham v Everton: Case for the defence as in-form sides clash

Tottenham v Everton
Sunday 05 March, 13:30
Live on Sky Sports 1

Tottenham

Taking out Chelsea, backing Spurs at home is probably the most reliable punt in the whole of the Premier League.

They're the only unbeaten home team in the top flight and since playing out a 1-1 draw with a then free-flowing Liverpool in August, they've taken 31 points from a possible 33 at White Hart Lane.

Chelsea were brushed aside 2-0 and their home results in the Premier League since the start of December read: 5-0, 3-0, 2-1, 2-0, 4-0, 1-0, 4-0.

They're second in the table right now and just 1.33 to make the top four. In the pub game of 'which two of the top six are going to miss out on a Champions League spot', most permutations don't include Tottenham.

The defence is the tightest in the division while, in Harry Kane, they boast the country's hottest marksman (Jack Lang covered the top goalscorer market earlier this week)

In short, there has to be very good reason why you oppose Tottenham at home in the Premier League.

Everton

While life is looking good for Spurs, it isn't too shabby up at Goodison Park either.

Everton are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League matches and they're just three points short of matching their final points tallies (47) of both 2014/5 and 2015/6.

After doubts were cast over Ronald Koeman when they wobbled through October to December with a defeat in every second match, there's now not a single defeat in the 'Lost' column since they were defeated in the Merseyside derby by a last-minute winner from Sadio Mane.

Since then, the Blues have lost just one in 10 in all comps; their rivals in Red have been defeated six times over the same period.

The Toffees have an 11-point lead over West Ham in ninth so they're firmly established as one of the top eight teams in the country although, on current form, they'd be several spots higher.

Match Odds

Spurs are 1.67 to improve their tally of home Premier League wins to 12 and match that of leaders Chelsea. Everton trade at 5.90 while the draw is 4.20.

Opta tell us Spurs are unbeaten in eight games against the Merseysiders although five of those have been draws. In London, the score count reads three wins for Tottenham and two draws over the last five seasons.

With Southampton and Tottenham, Mauricio Pochettino has lost just once in eight meetings against the Toffees although four of those have been draws.

Koeman has found Spurs a tough nut to crack, winning just once in five tries with Everton and Southampton.

A Ross Barkley goal gave Everton a fifth-minute lead when the two sides locked horns on opening day but Erik Lamela secured a point for Spurs with a 59th minute leveller.

Everton are unbeaten in their last four away games and that comprises three draws (Middlesbrough, Stoke, Hull) and 1-0 win at Palace. This is obviously a serious step up.

To Score

This one brings together two of the three players tied at the top of the Premier League scoring charts.

Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku have both blasted in 17 goals although, in terms of goals per minute, it's the Tottenham man who leads the way.

Kane has netted a PL goal every 106 minutes, compared to 129 for Lukaku and 126 for Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez.

With three hat-tricks in his last nine games, Kane is the hottest of the lot and his latest trio came just last week in the 4-0 home win over Stoke.

Lukaku's last eight goals have all come at home while 10 of his last 14 PL were netted at Goodison which, along with Tottenham's tight defence, somewhat diminishes the appeal of his 'To Score' odds here of 2.70.

Kane has bagged 12 of his 17 Premier League goals at home, including seven in the last three, so he's understandably a cramped 1.74 to add another.

Over/Under 2.5 Goals

The prices on a home win and a Harry Kane goal are just too short for me but I do like the fact that Under 2.5 goals is an odds-against price and that's the bet I like best.

There's an awful lot of teams in the Premier League who don't know or care about defending but this pair realise its importance.

Spurs have let in the fewest amount of goals in the PL (18 in 26) games and visiting teams have managed only five in 13.

Everton have tightened up considerably in recent times, keeping four clean sheets in their last six matches and conceding just once in their last three road trips.

That seems the most relevant info to me although history lends a helping hand as six of the last seven meetings between the pair have seen under 2.5 goals. Those make-ups, starting with the 1-1 draw in August, read: 2-2-0-1-3-1-0.

Basically, this has been a low-scoring fixture in recent years and the tactical nous of Pochettino and Koeman points to another.

I think Spurs will probably have enough and wouldn't put anyone off a 1-0 or 2-0 scoreline but Unders on the goals appeals most.

Ref watch

Michael Oliver heads to north London for Sunday lunchtime's kick-off.

He's shown 91 yellows and two reds in his 30 games this season so is one of the most lenient refs on the circuit.

Oliver has taken charge of three Tottenham games and booked just four Spurs players across those matches.

He's taken the name of two Everton players when the man in the middle for their games against Stoke, Man City and Man Utd.

The Northumberland man didn't reach for his pocket at all in his most recent outing, Monday's 3-1 win for Leicester over Liverpool.

Opta stat

If Spurs were to win here, they would set a new home Premier League club record for successive wins at White Hart Lane (9).

Recommended Bet

Back Under 2.5 Goals at 2.18