Premier League: Can Moyes Momentum Carry Everton Through?

Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur

Life without Sean Dyche is about to begin in earnest. His successor David Moyes has been appointed and, after the welcome in midweek when Everton were narrowly beaten at home by Aston Villa without getting the ‘new manager bounce’, this is where it all really starts for the Scot on his return to the blue half of Merseyside.

Now I can safely say that the Toffees – regardless of whether they had kept onto Dyche or replaced him – should survive again this season.

Sure, they are only one point above the Premier League drop zone, but at the time of Dyche’s departure they had not long come off the back of fine draws at champions Manchester City and Arsenal and should have a little bit to spare between themselves and the bottom three come next May.

Securing some Premier League 2025 highlights against injury-hit Spurs would be a damn good place for them to start.

 

Talking Points

At this point, without raining on Moyes’ parade, it is hard not to praise Dyche for what he achieved at Goodison Park.

He was never going to be the man to take the nine-time champions of England back to where this fine bastion of football wants to be. But he preserved admirably with the hand he was dealt and deserved better timing than to be dismissed hours before an FA Cup tie with Peterborough in which his name was still in the official match programme welcome.

Remember, last season when breaches of profit and sustainability rules (PSR) resulted in a deduction of eight points? Well, despite all of this, Dyche guided his charges to finish a resounding 14 points clear of the relegation zone. They didn’t even need the four points they won back on appeal to survive, and won four of their final six games, including a monumental 2-0 derby victory over Liverpool, a performance that had the added pleasure of wrecking their arch-rivals’ Premier League title bid.

It meant Everton stayed up with plenty to spare, enjoying their best season since Carlo Ancelotti was in charge.

History will be kinder and afford more respect to Dyche than the present, and they had only lost four of their past 16 games in all competitions when he was shown the door a week ago.

On the flipside, they’ve taken 17 points from 20 games this season, which the past decade of the Premier League would suggest, if repeated in the second half of the campaign, would leave them right on the edge of relegation.

That survival task now belongs to Moyes against a Spurs side who are low on numbers of first-teamers and arguably have a more important trip to Merseyside to come at the start of next month after a late goal from 18 year old midfielder Lucas Bergvall gave them the edge in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final a week ago.

With just a point keeping Everton from Ipswich and Wolves, who are in the drop zone, the Toffees need lift-off and their need may just be greater come Sunday afternoon.

 

History

These two Premier League mainstays have faced each other on 189 occasions in all competitions, with ​Tottenham coming out on top with 72 wins to Everton’s 57 triumphs. There have also been 60 draws.

Everton have struggled in this fixture in recent years, mind, and have not beaten Spurs at home in eight years.

On the opening day of the Covid campaign (2020-21) when no crowds were present, Carlo Ancelotti’s aces ousted unadventurous Spurs.

That was actually the last time they defeated them in the league, and they also edged a nine goal thriller in the FA Cup later that season.

Since then, their eight meetings have ended with four Spurs victories and four draws.

One of those was in this corresponding game last term when the home side showed all the battling qualities which would ensure their survival as Jack Harrison and young defender Jarrad Branthwaite, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, hauled them level after they twice trailed to goals from former Toffee, Richarlison – sold to Spurs to help ease the club’s debts.

Spurs ran riot when the clubs met earlier this season as Yves Bissouma, Son Heung-Min (two) and Cristian Romero were on target against the Merseysiders whose performance was woeful.

The club’s first ever meeting came in an FA Cup tie in 1904, at the first round stage at Goodison.

An own goal ensured Spurs won the game 2-1 after Jack Taylor and Vivian Woodward were the respective scorers.

Their inaugural league meeting in 1909 was also at Goodison but the home team won the day on that occasion, a 4-2 success in which Sandy Young, Walter White and Bert Freeman (two) netted for the hosts.

 

Betting Tip

Our Premier League 2025 betting odds are very closely matched, just favouring Spurs.

The North Londoners are priced 1X2 @ 2.33 with Everton slightly further out @ 2.67.

Likewise, with Asian Handicap betting, Spurs are on offer 0.00 @ 1.82 compared to the hosts 0.00 @ 2.08.

Given this meeting ended 2-2 last term, I can see why odds of 1X2 Draw @ 3.36 are appealing, as is the total goal 0-1 offering @ 3.80.

The last five league meetings at Goodison have ended all square while, believe it or not, the Toffees have not won this fixture at home since 2012 with two last gasp goals from Steven Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic.

The manager that day in the home dugout was a certain David Moyes and I think he will guide them to victory in this one too against injury-hit Spurs.

Another 2-2 draw is available with Correct Score @ 12 by the way.

   

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