Tottenham starts a hectic season against Everton this afternoon.
Spurs’ Premier League opener kicks off a gruelling run of fixtures that could see them play as many as nine matches in 21 days due to Europa League qualifying and Carabao Cup commitments.
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho described such a pile-up of games as “not human” in a pre-match press conference rant, while he also expressed confidence that the club would be signing a new striker to provide competition and support for Harry Kane amid links to the likes of Napoli frontman Arkadiusz Milik.
Joe Hart, Matt Doherty and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are the three new faces recruited by Spurs so far this summer.
This weekend’s opponents, Everton, look a far stronger outfit under Carlo Ancelotti after significantly boosting their midfield unit over recent days with the acquisitions of James Rodriguez, Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
This is going to be a close tie but we expect goals from both ends.
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham’s Japhet Tanganga has been ruled out with a thigh injury, while Giovani Lo Celso faces a fitness test on a hamstring strain.
Danny Rose will not be involved after he wasn’t given a squad number for the new season.
Everton’s Mason Holgate is absent with a toe problem but Andre Gomes and Yerry Mina have overcome minor injuries.
New signings Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez are all available to make their debuts.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Tottenham have won 27 Premier League matches versus Everton, more than against any other opponent.
- The Toffees have won just three of their 28 away Premier League matches against Spurs, with all three victories coming in consecutive seasons between 2006-07 and 2008-09.
- Tottenham are unbeaten in 15 Premier League meetings. They have only had one longer top-flight unbeaten streak: 22 games against Aston Villa between 1950 and 1962.
- This is the 11th time Spurs and Everton have met on the opening weekend of a top-flight season – three more than any other fixture in top-flight history.
Tottenham Hotspur
- Tottenham have only previously been at home for their opening Premier League game of the season in seven years out of 28. Their only defeat in those matches came against Manchester United in 1997-98.
- Spurs have won on the opening weekend in three successive seasons – they haven’t done so in four consecutive league campaigns since 1964-65 to 1967-68.
- Jose Mourinho has won 11 league matches against Everton, the joint highest total of his managerial career along with West Ham.
- Mourinho has taken charge of more games on the opening weekend of a Premier League season without losing than any other manager, winning nine and drawing one of his 10 games.
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Everton
- Everton are winless in 40 Premier League away fixtures against established top-six opposition since a 1-0 victory at Manchester United in December 2013.
- They are unbeaten in their opening league match over the past eight seasons since a 1-0 home defeat against Queens Park Rangers in 2011.
- Everton have had a player sent off in their first game in each of the last two seasons – no side has ever received a red card in three consecutive opening matches of a Premier League season.
- Carlo Ancelotti has been on the losing side just once in 21 league matches as a manager on the opening weekend of a season, a 2-1 defeat against Bologna at AC Milan in the 2008-09 season.
PREDICTION: 2-1
