At least Tottenham Hotspur showed some fight and Jose Mourinho, for one, certainly did not mind the bizarre half-time bust-up between his goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and striker Son Heung-min as his team scrapped their way to a much-needed victory over Everton who appeared combative themselves but were desperately disappointing.
Instead it was a sobering blow to Carlo Ancelotti whose side have impressed since the restart and would have gone above Tottenham, fuelling hopes of a late challenge for European football, with a victory but capitulated dismally here and now have to turn their minds to a summer rebuild.
The Ancelotti eyebrow was at maximum extension throughout as the Italian furiously chewed his gum and surely wondered about what was unfolding in front of him as, tellingly, he hooked Alex Iwobi during the interval and Gylfi Sigurdsson not long after with the two big money signings - £85 million worth, do not forget - contributing precious little. A reckoning is coming.
Mourinho, meanwhile, will simply look at the result and feel vindicated after the criticism he faced following the dispiriting defeat by Sheffield United. He will also know that this was his 200th win in the Premier League, in just 326 games, with only Sir Alex Ferguson having reached that milestone more quickly, in merely four games fewer. Such statistics will not be missed by Mourinho even if there will be a pang of disappointment that he did not beat Ferguson’s total.
Nevertheless this kind of continually mediocre football is surely not what Spurs crave. Harry Kane looked like a lost soul throughout and he was starved off support and opportunities although he at least tried to affect the play when he did get the ball. It says something when the ‘highlights’ are led by an own goal and an angry exchange between two team-mates. And that was it.
Teammates had to step in to separate the pair - Sky Sports
The bright spot for Spurs, beyond the points, was the contribution of Giovani Lo Celso who was central to the goal and was also alert enough to position himself between Lloris and Son after the captain had run over to berate the striker. Presumably it was for not tracking back as Everton created a rare chance, which was typically wasted, as Richarlison shot narrowly wide. Even so it looked harsh on Son given he was sent a duff pass on halfway that was easily intercepted.
Harry Winks also intervened to hold back an agitated Lloris after he had shoved Son, who had reacted to the outburst, before he went down the tunnel. Although the pair were reconciled before the second half began, and hugged each other at the end, was it a sign of their desire to win or an indicator of the frustration that Spurs are simply not playing very well? Either way they managed the feat of starting a fight in an empty house.
Lloris remonstrated with his colleague - Sky Sports Premier League
Lloris later said it was “part of football” but it was more revealing that he also stated Spurs predicament this season was something the players were not happy with. So it was that annoyance, the culmination of a poor, disjointed campaign, boiling over.
Quite what the fans made of it all appeared to be indicated by what was happening on the big screens inside the stadium where those on the Zoom calls appeared soporific as the game meandered. And who could blame them? In fact they looked like their screens had frozen.
In fairness this was a mid-table clash and even if both teams had much to play for there is a reason why they are scrapping around trying to force themselves into the fight for Europe rather than being at the heart of it which is where they should be. Both changed their managers mid-season and hired high-calibre replacements; replacements but not magicians, of course, although Mourinho is going to run out of goodwill soon enough unless he starts to pull a few rabbits out.
What's happened there?!? 😲
Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min have to be separated by their teammates as they make their way off the pitch at half-time! 🤬
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) July 6, 2020
The ball ended up in the Everton net with the last kick before the first-half drinks break and it would have been hard for them to swallow. It was typically scrappy as Kane’s shot was blocked by Michael Keane with the ball rebounding to Lo Celso who swivelled and drove it goalwards – except it was flying well wide until it struck Keane’s arm as he ran across to cover and wrong-footed Jordan Pickford.
It meant Lo Celso could not claim his first goal since joining Spurs but the Argentinian is at least providing some spark and he was their driving force in a first half when they were undoubtedly the better team. Not that they had to do too much to achieve that. Spurs also certainly targeted Richarlison, who came in for some hefty challenges, and with no fans in the ground his loud reactions were audible.
Audio Football Club podcast 06/07/93
The only other items of note came from goalkeeping errors with Lloris spilling a header by Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Pickford alarmingly allowing a corner to slip through his hands. Neither mistake was capitalised on and that said it all, also.
Maybe the clash with Lloris fired up Son because he finally threatened with a shot past Pickford’s post and then by forcing a sharp save from the England international while the only flickering signs of resistance from Everton came from a weak shot by substitute Moise Kean, who should have done better, two efforts from another replacement, Anthony Gordon, and an improvised flick by Calvert-Lewin. It was typically meek from the visitors who suffered their first defeat in the four games since the restart..
08:58 PM
Lloris and Son
embrace at the final whistle. Spurs go into 8th, one point now behind Arsenal.
Lloris says in his post match to Sky: "We have to fight. We have to fight against ourself and fight against our opponent."
What happened with Son incident?
"It belong to the changing room. What happened between me and Sonny is part of football and it happens sometimes. But you see at the end we are happy and together. We did not press properly [for that Richarlison chance] and I was angry. But there is no problem between us."
Mourinho: "Did I like to see it? It was beautiful. Everyone loves Sonny, a great boy and a team player. But the captain was angry. I was really pleased to see it. I have told my players that they have to get more angry with themselves and each other."
08:57 PM
Full time: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Well, that was that. Match report coming up.
08:54 PM
90+ mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Kane has been a peripheral figure, but here holds it up in the corner a couple of times, running down the clock. "I'd say Spurs are taking the sting out of the game but there has been no sting," says Gary Neville. "It's not good enough, this. It's boring." He's talking about the Everton performance.
Everton finally get some men forward but they cannot get on it in the box.
Ancelotti looks mildly peeved, non-plussed. Like a man paying a parking ticket that he knew he deserved but is still a bit fed up, but the fee is only a couple of quid so whatever. Anyway. That's the match.
08:52 PM
90 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Dier, who has generally had a good game in the defence, stands off Moise Kean here and allows the Everton sub to shoot. Lucky for Spurs, it's straight at the keeper.
As a special treat, we can have four more minutes.
08:50 PM
89 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Everton have a late corner. I don't think either side really deserves to win this. It drops to Gordon on the edge of the box but he hoofs the volley well over. Hard chance.
08:49 PM
88 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Revealing stat again from Sky. They have had just SIX touches in the opposition box all game.
08:47 PM
86 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Gary Neville now audibly sighing in frustration on the Sky! Misplaced passes, the game played at a sluggish pace, loads of silly fouls. Gomes trips Lamela. Yellow.
08:43 PM
82 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Lamela on for Moura. Spurs give away yet another freekick, but Digne's delivery is poor.
08:42 PM
81 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Ball into the Spurs box, Calvert-Lewin with a creative, improvised back heel. Makes a good contact but that's easy for Lloris.
08:39 PM
77 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Moise Kean and Djibril Sidibe on for Coleman and Davies. Son off. Bergwijn on. Davies has fouled Richarlison.
Loads of talent on both sides but neither manager seems able to crack it just yet with their respective groups of players.
You don't really get the sense that the ghost-writers of Carlo and Jose's next respective books are going to be taking too long over the "Everton" and "Spurs" chapters.
08:36 PM
75 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Some good comedy at the freekick when Spurs players basically refuse to get back ten yards but the ref just can't really face sorting out it. Winks lies down on the turf behind the wall. Sure enough, the freekick hits the wall about 2 feet above the ground. Bernard the taker. Davies is the man who follows up, wide.
08:33 PM
72 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Silly foul from Moura on Davies, on the edge of the Spurs box. There has been some brainless play in this game so far.
08:29 PM
Drinks: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Well, it's not been great. Not sure I'd quite go as far as this guy, but.... not great.
This #TOTEVE game is dead. I can smell the rot coming over the airwaves. Two dead teams, with two dead managers, their bloated corpses floating about in the fetid water of mid-table mediocrity.
Bernard on in place of Sigurdsson, who has not exactly been a mighty Icelander tonight.
08:27 PM
66 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Silly foul from Winks gives Everton a foul in a handy position. Sort of where a hockey short corner would be.
Dier does a yeoman's job to out muscle Mina at the set ball.
08:25 PM
63 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Would be a bit much to say that Lloris has fired him up, without knowing the situation, but Son's deffo been at it since the half! Two good moments here, shimmy past his man and a shot. Feels to me like he is the man knocking hardest on the door. Kane's been quiet.
08:19 PM
58 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Moura switches the play from the right, Son picks it up and cuts inside, Son needs one touch too many and has to lay it off to Winks, who drills well wide.
08:18 PM
56 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Decent cross from the Everton right but Richarlison is unsupported in the area. Everton not really breaking from midfield to get bodies in the box.
08:15 PM
54 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Route one from Spurs, Son is onto it, poor from Mina who has a) misjudged the bounce b) lost Son and c) swung a leg at him as he goes past that Son might have done better connecting with and falling over. As it is he manages to get some sort of effort on goal and that's no a bad stop from Pickers.
08:11 PM
49 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Sissoko fouls Richardson, gets carded.
Gordon's introduction seems to have helped for the Toffemen, he's driven forward well a couple of times now, and has hit the target from outside the box.
Everton's record since September 2015 when trailing at half time: played 42 won 0. Lost 37. That is some truly spineless effort. Good stat from Sky.
08:06 PM
46 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Iwobi is off and Gordon is on.
Not sure if Son and Lloris have made up or not, but they're not going at each other at any rate.
The second half begins.
08:00 PM
The Sky guys in the studio
are sure that it was because Son "gives up", as Jamie Redknapp says, and does not track back for the loss of the ball that led to Richarlison's effort right at the end.
"Probably the most exciting thing that has happened so far," says Jamie Redknapp. He's outsourced top-topping to Tim Cahill this evening. Cahill has said "he's a top player" or "he's a top striker" at least three times I have heard.
07:52 PM
BUT WHAT'S THIS?!!
Hugo Lloris and Son are getting involved in a row with each other! The players are all trotting off, they have a word with each other and the French keeper has shoved his colleague! Hardly the two most aggy players, you would think.
What's happened there?!? 😲
Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min have to be separated by their teammates as they make their way off the pitch at half-time! 🤬
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) July 6, 2020
More interesting than the football so far you'd have to say.
07:51 PM
45+ mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Everton on top as the half ends, a couple of minutes of possession ends with Richarlison driving forward and drilling a shot wide. Such as it was, that was Everton's best moment. Half time.
07:50 PM
45+ mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Pretty moderate entertainment, you have to say. Everton started okay but have been very flat since the goal, Spurs sporadically a little bit more effective but hardly irresistible and unable to add the second. The first halve come to an end with Spurs playing it around at the back, then losing it in the midfield. Digne, who has had a good half, prominent down the left but that comes to nothing
07:47 PM
45 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Mourinho demands to know of the fourth official why there are five minutes added. Does he have someplace he'd rather be?
07:45 PM
43 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Amateurish from Pickford as he comes for the corner and lets the ball straight through his hands. Lucky for him, nobody can capitalise.
07:44 PM
42 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Excellent move from Spurs but some superb defending from Digne as he shows Moura outside and puts the block in.
07:42 PM
40 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Good corner from Everton and the impressive Calvert-Lewin has done brilliantly to head that back across, and Lloris less brilliantly to give them another corner. That drops for Gomes at the edge of the box but he gets his shot all wrong.
07:39 PM
39 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Yerry Mina, who acted like an absolute chop for Colombia against England IIRC in the World Cup, replaces Holgate. Kane has drilled a free kick that hits the wall. Spurs looking good value for the second at the moment.
07:38 PM
37 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Now Holgate has limped off. Everton the side with all the problems so far.
Couple of corners for Spurs. Big defensive header from Calvert-Lewin.
07:37 PM
35 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Son plays the ball and Gomes pushes him. Son goes down. Neville, though, has another Everton midfielder on his mind - Sigurdsson, who has just pulled out of a tackle in rather a wet way. "Oh, no no no," says Gary. "You're an Everton central midfielder! Get your foot in!" It wasn't exactly dogs of war. More dogs d'amour.
07:33 PM
32 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Bit of territory for Everton, a corner, an easy gather for Lloris.
07:30 PM
29 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Dier whips the freekick over the wall but onto the roof of the net.
Delay of game because Holgate seems to have injured himself chopping down Lo Celso.
07:29 PM
27 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
Nice break from Spurs who again look a bit more like themselves, Kane and Son in harness, Son knocks it to Lo Celsco who skips past Holgate. Holgate absolutely clatters him. Yellow card and a half, I'd say. Freekick to the hosts on the edge of the box.
07:28 PM
25 mins: Tottenham 1 Everton 0
That functions as the drinks interval.
07:27 PM
GOAL! Tottenham 1 Everton 0 (Lo Celso 24) or maybe Keane OG?
It's a scrappy goal but it is a goal. Everton have loads of men back but they don't get it clear. Coleman as culpable as anyone. Kane tries to smuggle it through, half cleared, it drops to Lo Celso. He hits it, it strikes Michael Keane and takes a sickening deflection, giving keeper Pickford nay chance. Oh looking again, that's gonna be an OG. The shot was going wide but Keane, running back, guided it past the keeper
07:23 PM
21 mins: Tottenham 0 Everton 0
Lucas Moura lets one rip! Good low drive from 25 yards or so and not at all far away from being a much-needed opener.
07:20 PM
18 mins: Tottenham 0 Everton 0
For a split second there Spurs looked like they did when they were actually good as they get it forward quickly and Son runs at the defence down the inside left channel with Kane lurking dangerously inside... But Son slips over his feet and we are back in 2020.
07:19 PM
16 mins: Tottenham 0 Everton 0
Richarlison coming in for some hard challenges. Dier is about to clatter him and is only thwarted because Winks does it first! Dunno if Spurs reckon Richarlison can be injured out of the match, or provoked, or if he drifts out of the games if he gets a few lumps or what. But he's deffo being handled roughly.
07:15 PM
Old pals
Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho and Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti - NMC POOL
07:13 PM
11 mins: Tottenham 0 Everton 0
Pre-match, Mourinho was asked why he'd made a couple of changes because of losing to Sheff Utd? “No. If I was going to change players because of the match against Sheffield United, I would change 11 players.”
Whatever has happened to Jose? Players used to run through brick walls for him. How's that sort of attitude going to motivate?
07:11 PM
8 mins: Tottenham 0 Everton 0
Good old fashioned English midfield battle as far as I can see so far. Plenty of battle if not a lot of silk.
07:04 PM
4 mins: Tottenham 0 Everton 0
Lo Celso delivers it, Dier gets up the best and makes some contact. Leads to a corner. That too is cleared, or half cleared, and Spurs keep up the pressure.
All Tottenham so far... Kane is through but miles offside.
07:02 PM
1 mins: Tottenham 0 Everton 0
Spurs and Aurier looking to get busy down the right and they win a freekick high up the pitch. Aurier's alright going in that direction!
Early freekick to Spurs.
07:01 PM
Gary Neville on Eric Dier
"I think Eric, with his physical attributes is more of a centre half. A great character but I always wondered if he could play in a modern midfield and receive that ball on the half turn." Plenty on Dier's plate tonight as he and his defensive co-workers deal with Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison."
Anyhow. Whistle. Knee. Football.
06:58 PM
The players applaud the NHS
as does the imaginary crowd. What a strange little country we are.
06:55 PM
Carlo Ancelotti on Everton winning two in two
"Give credit to the players. They have performed well. In football you have to move on from difficulties. We now are in a good shape and good spirit. We have to show good football tonight."
06:54 PM
We're in the stadium then
It's tenth plays 11th or, as Sky's Dave Jones says. time for action "in the frantic race for European football."
06:53 PM
Interesting from Gary
To be fair to @SkySports and even @btsport, they pay huge amounts for the rights. This injection of billions has helped to make the Premier League the global monster it is today. We’re happy with our highlights and chuffed to get a few live games, but we know our place. 👍🏻 https://t.co/gCNcJbs9U0
We'll get to the Premier League in a second I promise. I'm sure Mourninho is still being delightfully piquant. Simon Eastwood in nets for Oxford, Alex Bass for Pompey. Liverpool loanee Ben Woodburn has just tucked his spot kick away nicely. Very good shoot out so far - six out of six hit hard and true.
Shame, Portsmouth's Cameron McGeehan has his saved - can his keeper save his bacon?
No....
And Cameron Brannagan has stepped up for Oxford United to drill home his pen, it's a perfect shootout for Oxford and they are going to Wembley.
Let's get to the PL fixture now.
06:35 PM
Football 1 Coronavirus 0
The Premier League have confirmed there were zero positive test results from 1,973 players and club staff in the latest round of coronavirus testing.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) July 6, 2020
06:34 PM
Well, not really mixed
Actually.
Anyway! Pens in that game!
06:33 PM
Oxford claim
the great Jim Rosenthal among their celeb fans, but the rest are a mixed bag I would say. Tiger Tim Henman, Richard 'Richard' Branson, Timmy Mallet.
06:12 PM
Oxford and Pompey are
in the League One play-off semi on TV right now, it's 2-2 on agg and they are into extra time.
David Beckham spotted at the Play-off semi-finals between Oxford and Portsmouth 💀👀 pic.twitter.com/SuJTJQscec
— Liam (Pride Of Wales 🏴) (@liam_ccfc) July 6, 2020
06:09 PM
As for the Everton side
Tom Davies comes in for Anthony Gordon for the visitors, and their important, exciting Richarlison is rated okay to start. Rich was off before the hour against Leicester just a few days ago but has scrubbed up okay.
06:05 PM
Two changes for Spurs
As Toby Alderweireld comes back into the defence and Harry Winks back into midfield.
The club's record signing Ndombele has to settle for the bench for, I think, the fourth game in a row?
finds Tottenham playing Everton in the Premier League. We will have the team news for you at 7pm and then the kick off for this fixture is 8pm UK time.
The match will be shown on Sky Sports Premier League and on Sky Sports main event. Or you can of course follow it here for free with us.
Our Merseyside football man Chris Bascombe was among those talking to Toffees skipper Seamus Coleman recently, and it sounds like Coleman has just about had enough of having decent seasons that don't really amount to anything. Here is what Chris wrote:
Seamus Coleman is sick of Everton’s false dawns. That explains why, amid his obvious enthusiasm for the early promise of Carlo Ancelotti’s reign, there is as much caution as excitement.
“I don't want to be having these conversations year after year when you have a decent run of form,” said Coleman.
“You don't want to be just speaking after a good few games saying, 'Ah, we are doing well'. I want us to be consistent. I want the club to be back challenging for Champions League places.”
Also in the lead-up to this game, Mourinho showed that he's still got it. Not necessarily managing football teams, but selecting a choice diss for a rival.
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