Tottenham host Everton on Monday night to kick off a week which could well define their Premier League season.
Jose Mourinho’s Spurs fell to a disappointing – if controversial – 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United on Thursday, with the Portuguese coach and his players suffering from the latest high-profile VAR decision.
Spurs may feel hard done by, but that loss leaves them 10 points off fifth-placed Manchester United with a game in hand – and they cannot afford any more slip-ups to keep their hopes of Champions League football alive.
With Everton up first followed by a trip to Bournemouth on Thursday and then Sunday’s north London derby, Mourinho needs a victory to kick off the week in the right manner.
Expect a tight contest with Mourinho and Ancelotti attempting to outwit each other. Harry Kane could well prove the difference.
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham’s Dele Alli faces a late fitness test on a hamstring injury he suffered in training.
Defenders Japhet Tanganga and Juan Foyth are expected to miss the remainder of the season.
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti is confident Richarlison will be fit despite picking up an ankle injury against Leicester.
Djibril Sidibe is available again, but Theo Walcott and Fabian Delph remain on the sidelines.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Tottenham have lost just three of their 27 Premier League home games against Everton (W16, D8). Those defeats came in three consecutive seasons between 2006-07 and 2008-09.
Everton have not beaten Spurs in 14 league meetings dating back to December 2012.
This is Tottenham’s joint longest Premier League run without defeat against an opponent, along with Sunderland (2010-2017) and Swansea City (2011-2018).
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham have won just once in nine matches in all competitions.
They last finished outside the top four in 2014-15 and the top six in 2008-09.
Jose Mourinho has never lost a home game against Everton in his managerial career, winning seven and drawing two. He’s only faced Manchester United more often at home without defeat.
Mourinho has lost seven Premier League games as Tottenham boss, one more defeat than he suffered in his first two seasons combined in the division as Chelsea manager.
Spurs have kept only four clean sheets in 29 matches under Mourinho.
Harry Kane is aiming to become the first player in the Premier League to score two or more goals in five consecutive games against the same opponent.
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Everton
Since Carlo Ancelotti’s first game in charge on Boxing Day, only Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City had earned more points than Everton’s 25 prior to the weekend fixtures.
Six of Everton’s seven league wins under Ancelotti have been by a one-goal margin.
They are looking to win back-to-back Premier League away games for the first time since September 2016.
The Toffees can win three consecutive league matches for the first time since March to April 2019.
PREDICTION: 2-0
