Four league matches in, Tottenham have yet to score a Premier League goal. Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi’s side dominated possession (62%) and registered 14 shots against a resolute David Moyes-led Everton backline on Saturday, but the scoreboard stayed blank for a fourth consecutive time, according to The Guardian. David Moyes’ Everton, meanwhile, stay unbeaten in the top flight, collecting a point that keeps them comfortably in seventh place.
Key Moments
- 63′, De Zerbi made a triple substitution, sending on Lucas Bergvall, Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus for Rodrigo Bentancur, Dominic Solanke and Mateus Fernandes in a bid to unlock the Everton defense.
- 65′, Everton responded, bringing on Jack Grealish for Tyrique George to add creativity and protect their clean sheet.
- 68′, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was booked for a foul as Everton looked to slow Tottenham’s tempo through the middle third.
- 77′, James Maddison replaced Omar Marmoush with Spurs still pressing for a breakthrough, but 13 minutes were not enough for the midfielder to make a decisive impact.
- 87′, De Zerbi picked up a yellow card for dissent, a visible sign of his frustration as Tottenham’s goal drought stretched on.
Tactical Breakdown
Tottenham controlled the ball for most of the afternoon, finishing with 640 total passes at 93% accuracy and five corner kicks. Yet control did not translate into danger: only 2 of their 14 shots found the target, and Everton goalkeeper Pickford was called into action just twice. De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 generated width through Savio and the overlapping Robertson, but the final ball consistently let them down in the areas that matter.
The triple change at the 63rd minute was the obvious turning point De Zerbi reached for, and it altered the game’s rhythm. Kudus and Tel added pace in behind, and Bergvall offered a cleaner passing line through midfield. Spurs’ shot count climbed in the final quarter-hour, but Everton’s defensive block, marshaled by Branthwaite and Tarkowski, absorbed the pressure without serious alarm. Moyes also tightened his shape with the introductions of Hackney and J. O’Brien at the 75th minute, removing creativity for defensive cover.
Everton’s compact 4-2-3-1 sat deep and trusted their defensive structure, content to absorb Tottenham’s build-up play and hit on the counter. They managed 12 shots of their own, actually edging Spurs inside the box (9 to 8), which suggests Moyes’ side was more dangerous in transition than the final scoreline implies. The hosts’ lack of a clinical striker was the defining factor: Solanke offered little before being hooked at 63 minutes, and no replacement could provide the finishing touch.
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Standings
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Verdict
The result leaves Tottenham in 17th place with two points from four matches and, according to Sky Sports, still winless and goalless in the Premier League this season. Everton sit seventh on six points, unbeaten after four games. De Zerbi was measured in his post-match assessment, described by NBC Sports as being ‘realistic, not positive, not negative,’ but the patience of fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is being tested. Moyes, by contrast, has his side punching above their pre-season expectations.
Everton
Tottenham