Everton Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

[chrissivad]

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Everton v Tottenham

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Goodison Park Date: Sunday, 6 December 2009 Kick-off: 1600 GMT

Coverage:BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio including full commentary on BBC Radio Merseyside, 95.8FM, 1485AM and DAB, Full commentary BBC London 94.9 fm, DAB, DSAT & Online, live on Sky Sports & highlights on Match of the Day 2

For more details on coverage please check out Geez's Live Media Thread Here)

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Everton risk being drawn into a relegation scrap ahead of their home clash with high-flying Tottenham.​

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The Toffees have established themselves as regular qualifiers for European competition in recent years but they have made a disappointing start to the new campaign.

David Moyes' plans have been thrown into turmoil by an injury curse that shows no sign of relenting, with three more players struck down in the midweek Europa League match against AEK Athens.

Everton did at least manage to claim a morale-boosting victory in a rain-soaked Greece as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's early goal carried them through to the last 32.

They can now switch their focus to domestic matters and Moyes will be anxious to pick up another win as Everton are currently just three points clear of the drop zone.

Moyes will not be able to freshen up his side as much as he would like after three successive Premier League losses, with Jo, Sylvain Distin and Dan Gosling all doubtful after being forced off against AEK.

Leon Osman has a foot injury, while Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta and Phil Neville are among the long-term absentees.

John Heitinga is suspended after collecting a fifth yellow card of the season and those players still standing may again be asked to fill unfamiliar positions.

Spurs news

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is convinced that his side can finish in the top four and they currently occupy third place after an impressive start to the season.

An under-strength Manchester United side knocked Spurs out of the Carling Cup in midweek and Redknapp will want to see a positive response.

Having made changes for the trip to Old Trafford, the manager is set to revert back to something like the line-up that drew 1-1 with Aston Villa last weekend.

Michael Dawson and Sebastien Bassong should form the central defensive partnership once again with Ledley King (hamstring) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin) both still missing.

Carlo Cudicini is facing a long spell out after injuring his wrists and pelvis in a motorcycling accident, although Luka Modric is closing in on a comeback following a fractured fibula.

Redknapp must decide whether to start with Peter Crouch or Robbie Keane alongside Jermain Defoe up front.

PREDICTIONS

Skysports.com prediction: 1-2

SKY BET odds: Everton 7/4, Draw 12/5, Tottenham 6/4

One to Watch: Niko Kranjcar
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BBC Preview


Everton's Johnny Heitinga is suspended after he picked up his fifth booking of the season last weekend.
Sylvain Distin and Dan Gosling are doubtful with hamstring strains, while Leon Osman faces a fitness test on his injured ankle.
Tottenham are again without first choice centre-backs Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate.
Manager Harry Redknapp is likely to recall the first-team players who were rested against Manchester United.

Everton
Suspended: Heitinga (one match)
Doubtful: Distin & Gosling (both hamstring), Jo (knee), Osman (foot), Yobo (hamstring)
Injured: Anichebe, Arteta, Jagielka, Neville & Vaughan (all knee)

Tottenham
Suspended: None
Doubtful: King (hamstring), Woodgate (groin)
Injured: Cudicini (pelvis and wrists), Giovani (ankle), Modric (broken leg)

MATCH PREVIEW

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With a Greek tragedy avoided in Athens on Wednesday, qualification for the knockout stages of the Europa League came as a blessed relief to an Everton side in danger of seeing their season wash away..


The win over AEK in monsoon conditions in Greece was only their second win in 11 matches, but it came at a price as Sylvain Distin, Dan Gosling and Jo joined a Toffees injury list that has spiralled out of control.
The overtime bill for overworked Goodison physio Mick Rathbone must be huge, but David Moyes can at least take comfort that the youngsters he was forced to blood against AEK, the 17-year-old trio of Seamus Coleman, Shane Duffy and Jose Baxter, were all highly impressive.
This fixture was traditionally one of the most one sided in the Premier League, with Tottenham having a hoodoo over the blue half of Merseyside. From 1992 to 2004 the Toffees managed just two wins against Spurs in the league, but they seem to have rid themselves of their Lilywhite bogeyman in the league at least, going unbeaten in their last four and have won on their last three league visits to White Hart Lane.
Tottenham did beat Everton in the fourth round of this season's Carling Cup, but slipped out of the competition this week following a lifeless match against Manchester United.
It was a performance that left manager Harry Redknapp baffled. That defeat though could prove to be a godsend as all guns will firmly be trained on Champions League qualification, a goal Everton have surely now given up on this season.

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MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Tottenham beat Everton 2-0 in the Carling Cup fourth round this season thanks to goals from Tom Huddlestone and Robbie Keane.
• This fixture has finished 0-0 in the last two encounters at Goodison Park.
• In 17 seasons of Premier League encounters between these sides, Tottenham have won 17 matches, Everton five and there have been 12 draws.


Everton
• Everton have won just one of their last eight league matches and haven't won at home since 20 September when they beat Blackburn.
• The Toffees have lost their last three Premier League games. They have not lost four in a row since December 2005.
• Stand-in Everton skipper Tim Cahill celebrates his 30th birthday on Sunday.

Tottenham
• In their past 10 away games against teams from outside the big four, Tottenham have won five, drawn four and lost just once (against Blackburn last season).
• Spurs have picked up 29 points away from home against Everton - more than they have against any other Premier League opponent.
• Peter Crouch has had 23 headed attempts on goal this season, more than any other player in the league.



LEADING GOALSCORERS

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Everton
Saha: 10 goals (8 league)

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Tottenham
Defoe: 12 goals (11 league); Keane: 8 goals (6 league)




Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistant referees: Michael Murphy & Adam Watts
Fourth official: Mike Jones




MOST RECENT MEETING

Tottenham 2-0 Everton (27 October 2009)
Tottenham scorers: Huddlestone 31, Keane 57




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Everton Vs Tottenham


And for people enjoying this at home, or in close proximity to the internet
you can catch an hour of build-up chat with our verry own Bill_Oddie and the BFM team on www.bfm.my from 3pm UK-time (I think it is. It might actually be 4pm - check yourselves you lazy sods) tomorrow

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Arse and Villa both winning at HT and probably going to win their games so we really need to do the business tomorrow, especially as next week we're at home and they're away so we'll have a good chance to gain an advantage. Evertons injuries doesn't make victory certain, but a makeshift defence up against Lennon and Defoe should bode well for us.

 

[Coyboy]

Who's going up for this one? I am in row 6 so hopefully undercover if rains. I hate Liverpool. Hole.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Who's going up for this one? I am in row 6 so hopefully undercover if rains. I hate Liverpool. Hole.

I was higher than that last season when I went up and I still got drenched first half (and then warmed by some glorious sunshine second half).

It's not the worst place, I prefer it to Brum for instance

 

[Coyboy]

It's probably because my Dad and brother like it as Evertonians, I just don't see the appeal. Brum is pretty shocking other than the area around the uni and by the canal in the centre is ok.

 

[Bill_Oddie]

And for people enjoying this at home, or in close proximity to the internet, you can catch an hour of build-up chat with yours truly and the BFM team on www.bfm.my from 3pm UK-time (I think it is. It might actually be 4pm - check yourselves you lazy sods) tomorrow. :up:

 

[Netty]

Who's going up for this one? I am in row 6 so hopefully undercover if rains. I hate Liverpool. Hole.

I am, I'm row 1! And it is not!

 

[nicdic]

Good work chrissivad :wink:

 

[Bill_Oddie]

:lol: Cheers for the plug, Chris! :lol:

 

[beals]

Worried about this match tomorrow. Everton as always no matter who plays will be well up for it. Can we match them in the desire stakes, just hope Harry has had a few choice words after Tuesday nights capitulation.

 

[C0YS]

I expect Everton will be stranger then they where in the CCup which they might as well of not turned up, but we should win this given evertons form and our great PL record in recent years against them, Man city winning today has made this a must win

 

[rez9000]

I expect Everton will be stranger then they where in the CCup which they might as well of not turned up, but we should win this given evertons form and our great PL record in recent years against them, Man city winning today has made this a must win

Definitely. Especially since they've managed to win a game after seven draws. If they kick on from their result today, particularly as it came against Chelsea, then the teams in and around us had better watch out.

 

[bubble07]

Results have not gone for us today. Everton game is now huge

 

[nicdic]

Can we please stop calling every game a must win.

 

[raf18]

suddenly we are completely open for attack by the others. The next few games are crucial. We have been lucky that city and liverpool were dropping points all over the place. The fact that they are still so close shows why we have to keep grinding out results and not drop back.

 

[robin09]

Lets call this game Graham then. But Graham's nickname is 'must win'.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

It's a must not lose game not a must win game

Win at home draw away = CL

 

[bubble07]

This is a must win game

 

[nicdic]

It isn't though is it. It's an important game, but it's not a must win game. Every game is important, this as much as any other.

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

Every game is a must win game... Aim for the sky