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28 mins: Everton are very much on top at the moment but really lack a threat in the box. Gray needs some support in there when crosses go in because he is never going to win one in the air.
26 mins: That little spell of attacking has buoyed Everton and the Goodison faithful. All they need to do now is score.
We are having a little break in play for those players observing Ramadan so they can have a drink and bite to eat.
I remain disappointed that this game hasn’t been classified as a “Battle of the Bastards”
— ham solo (@ham____solo) April 3, 2023 24 mins: Everton lump a free-kick into the box, the ball is headed back across goal and Lloris makes a couple of attempts to claim, the second ended by a defender whacking it out of his hands.
Gray brings the ball back into the box, he chops back and goes down but there is no suggestion of a foul.
Another chance for Everton … Onana lays the ball into the path of Godfrey who shoots first time but Dier’s head is in the way.
22 mins: Another great cross from Perisic with his right foot; he curls it to the back post where Porro is aiming to tap in but McNeil is there to hook away just in time.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro is denied by Everton’s Dwight McNeil. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters20 mins: Both teams are playing pretty well. I would argue Everton are edging it at the moment.
Pickford looks to start an attack with a quick kick out but he whacks the ball straight out of play.
18 mins: Iwobi bursts into the box but he cannot find anyone to pull the ball back to. Everton really could do with a proper striker in there to be in the right place for those opportunities.
16 mins: A second sight of goal for Kane. A cross-field pass finds Perisic on the left, he lines up the cross for the striker but he flicks his header wide from eight yards.
14 mins: Son gets into the box with the ball at his feet but sends it behind for a goal-kick thanks to some poorly-executed trickery, much to the amusement of the home fans.
12 mins: After a hectic few minutes, Spurs try to take the sting out of the. game by passing it around the back.
10 mins: Both teams are keen to attack and look dangerous in the final third. I would back there to be a few goals here. Cue a 0-0.
We almost get a goal. Skipp drives Spurs forward until being crunched on the edge of the box. There is a bit of pinball until it reaches Kane’s feet – he shoots, only to see Keane clear off the line.
Down the other end … Everton drives a free-kick into the box where it Keane is waiting, he chests it down and volleys but his effort is always rising.
8 mins: Ermmmmm … Perisic controls a pass at knee height and then whacks a volley from about 40 yards with his weaker right and it goes absolutely nowhere near the net. We can file that as ‘optimistic’.
6 mins: Spurs get their first glimpse of a chance when Porro gets in behind the Everton defence but his cross is a poor one and Pickford intercepts with his feet before a blue shirt whacks clear. Kane is not happy with the quality of crossing.
4 mins: Everton are looking to play with intensity and test Spurs’ desire in the process.
2 mins: Godfrey almost gouges Kulusevski’s eyeball in a challenge to give Spurs a free-kick.
Everton get the first chance of the match thanks to great work from Iwobi, who plays the ball to Gray on the edge of the box but his curling shot goes just over.
Kick-offPeep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
The teams are in the tunnel …
Cristian Stellini speaks …
“I feel [I am] in an important position with a lot of responsibility. I must fly solo and for sure it is not easy but I have a lot of things I learned in the long period I worked with Antonio. We are ready for the next 10 matches.
“Nothing changes with what the team has to do. We have to start well and be consistent.”
A lovely night on Merseyside.
Everton are set for a tumultuous few months regardless of whether they stay up or not.
There is no Calvert-Lewin in the Everton squad. They are lacking a consistent goalscorer this season and it could cause their ultimate demise. They really need him back fit soon.
It was a busy day of Premier League sackings yesterday. Read Football Daily for more!
Bill Preston emails: “I’m usually rather bullish about Everton’s ability to weather storms, but what with everything going on it’ll take more than thrilling heroics in the pitch and getting a stomp on past their relegation rivals.
“The new stadium does look great, appears to be going up quickly, and would be a great new start for the club wherever they end up.
“Have a good one!”
The new stadium is, according to Guardian analysis, three months behind schedule.
Harry Kane speaks …
On Conte’s exit: “That’s football. I wish Antonio all the best. It is about moving on now. It is about starting tonight with an important three points.”
On Conte’s comments about the squad: “He had his opinions on the matter and it was an emotional moment after a disappointing end to that game. We are focused on getting into the top four, we can’t focus on the past.”
On actual football: “This league is really tight, especially for third, fourth, fifth. We have had an OK season but we know we can improve.”
Sean Dyche speaks …
On an unchanged team: “I think they operated well. I liked what I saw there [at Chelsea] and we are working hard as a group.
On state of play: “I thought the mentality was very good, the fans have been excellent.
“I think the feel of the stadium, the way the fans have got behind the team. The fans have been terrific. The team have got to be ready at the first whistle.
“The players are putting a lot of effort into the training sessions and matches.
“The league table is what it is, I am more focused on sorting what we do. We want to build on what we have been doing.”
Hugo Lloris returns to the lineup for Spurs following injury. One of the few positive for Spurs in recent weeks has been the form of Fraser Forster, earning him a call-up to the England squad.
Starting lineupsEverton (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Keane, Godfrey; Gueye, Onana, Doucoure; Iwobi, McNeil, Gray
Subs: Begovic, Holgate, Mina, Mykolenko, Maupay, Davies, Coady, Garner, Simms
Tottenham (3-4-3): Lloris; Romero, Dier, Lenglet; Porro, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Perisic; Kulusevski, Kane, Son
Subs: Forster, Austin, Tanganga, Sanchez, Sarr, Devine, Mundle, Lucas, Danjuma
PreambleI am not saying things are looking bad at Everton but they are back in the relegation zone at kick-off following victories for Bournemouth and West Ham this weekend, while their accounts show their survival as a club will be in doubt if they drop down to the Championship.
The good news is that they come into the match against Spurs having not lost in their past three games, picking up five points in the process. The international break may have hampered their momentum slightly, especially after the buoyant feeling provided by Ellis Simms’ late equaliser at Stamford Bridge last time out.
They come up against another crisis club in Spurs, who are about to enjoy their first game of the post-Antonio Conte era. His time in north London seemed to be one grinding existence of moans about the state of the club without realising that he had something to do with it, even if he was right about most of it.
Cristian Stellini is the man in charge for now. He has already managed a few games this season due to Conte’s absence following surgery. Can he be the man to kickstart their season? We shall find out tonight.
Here’s to a cracker!
Kick-off: 8pm BST