BEST FBKL" Spurs Fans like my bro Datuk Wong Rhen Yen must have gone delirious last night as their team steamrolled Everton
Tottenham hit Everton for six in Goodison rout
Yahoo Sports
View photos
Tottenham celebrate after Harry Kane netted their third in a thriller at Goodison ParkMore
Tottenham moved within two points of second-placed Manchester City with an emphatic 6-2 come-from-behind win at Everton.
Two goals apiece from Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane, and further efforts from Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, saw the north London side romp to an emphatic win at Goodison Park.
In an open game, Everton’s goal difference took a hiding despite Theo Walcott’s opener and Gylfi Sigurdsson’s second-half strike, which proved a mere consolation, as Spurs moved six points behind leaders Liverpool.
Tottenham were seeking to win away from home for the ninth time in 11 on their travels, with their only previous league defeats coming at Watford and Arsenal. They had not lost at Goodison Park in over six years, winning three and drawing four of their previous seven visits.
View photos
Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min (left) celebrates his side’s first goal of the game with Christian Eriksen, who was also on the markMore
They were in scintillating form, although the first real chance fell to Everton, with Richarlison heading Walcott’s cross towards the back post and Dominic Calvert-Lewin just failed to get a toe onto the ball and direct it past Hugo Lloris.
Both teams played expansive football and created innumerable chances, and Tottenham were unlucky not to go in front in the 11th minute. Kieran Trippier played a lovely diagonal ball over the top and Kane sprinted forward. While he looked offside, Kurt Zouma had played him on, and the England striker lifted the ball over Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, only to see the ball hit the side netting.
Seconds later, Son got around the back of the Everton defence, and while the ball looked to have gone beyond the byline, the flag stayed down again. The ball fell to Trippier and he forced the England stopper into a good save with a shot from inside the area.
View photos
Everton’s Theo Walcott wheels away after opening the scoring at Goodison ParkMore
But it was first blood to Everton in the 21st minute. Davison Sanchez attempted to clear the ball, but Everton won it back and Sigurdsson’s first-time ball put the inventive Calvert-Lewin away. He pulled the ball back and former Arsenal man Walcott stole in to side-foot home.
Kane almost levelled immediately after, with a rasping drive that went just over Pickford’s bar, but it could have been 2-0 to the hosts seconds later. Everton fans were in raptures when Calvert-Lewin’s header sailed over the head of Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris and into the net, only for the attempt to be ruled out for a push.
The Toffeemen’s lead lasted just six minutes, however, and a howler from Pickford gave the visitors an early Christmas gift. Kane flicked the ball over the top of the Everton defence, Zouma and Pickford left the ball for each other and the keeper was left in no-man’s land after he came out to collect. After bumping into Zouma, Son nipped in. From a tight angle, he thrashed the ball, first-time, into the opposite corner of the net. It was a brilliant finish and no more than Tottenham deserved.
View photos
Jordan Pickford and Kurt Zouma collide, giving Son Min-Yeung the opportunity to levelMore
The speed of Tottenham’s attacks caused Everton innumerable problems in the first half hour and Kane saw a curling shot go just past Pickford’s post. Yet it did not take long for the visitors to gain their first lead of the afternoon, one they would not relinquish.
It was Son and Alli who got the goals that put Arsenal out of the League Cup in midweek and the pair both found the net in the first half.
A slide-rule pass from Moussa Sissoko put Son though and his powerful, low cross-shot was well saved by Pickford. However, the ball broke to the centre of the box and Alli thumped the rebound past the Everton keeper to complete a 14-minute turnaround, 10 minutes before the interval.
Kane has a fabulous scoring record against Everton, and he kept up that record with his seventh in eight games against the Toffeemen, putting Spurs in complete control with a third in the 42nd minute. Son drew a foul and from the resulting free-kick, Trippier’s superb strike flew back off the post. As the Everton defence failed to react, Kane had plenty of time to hit his shot from the centre of the box and make it 3-1.
And he was not finished.
For three minutes into the second half, he turned provider. Kane broke free down the right and crossed, and Seamus Coleman’s clearing header could only find Eriksen, who volleyed home from 20 yards. At 4-1, the game looked dead and buried.
View photos
Eriksen was on the mark with Tottenham’s fourth in what turned into a routMore
Yet Everton found life in the 51st minute, with ex-Tottenham man Sigurdsson turning to fire home after good work from Richarlison, although Lloris will feel as though he should have done better.
To his credit, Sigurdsson refused to celebrate and in truth, there was not much to cheer the home side’s fans.
Any thoughts of a comeback were snuffed out on the hour, when Eriksen and Lamella combined to set Son clear. While he appeared to be marginally offside, the flag stayed down and while Pickford stood up to make himself big, Son slipped the ball through his legs to make it 5-2.
View photos
Harry Kane nets Tottenham’s sixth to leave them just two points behind second-placed Manchester CityMore
Kane then completed a rout, sliding in to side-foot an inch-perfect Son pass to grab his second – the fourth successive time he has scored a brace against Everton. The goal for the Three Lions captain took his tally to 105 in 119 starts for club and country – including 41 goals in his last 44 away games.
With 42 points in their first 18 league games, this is Tottenham’s best start in the top flight since they did the double in 1960/61. They are still in third place, but with the imminent move to their new stadium and a League Cup semi-final to look forward to, who is to say they won’t be celebrating some silverware at their new home?
These are exciting times to be a Tottenham Hotspur fan and they were immediately cut to 20/1 by GentingBet to win the Premier League title. That might be some value come May.
What does it mean? Spurs hot on City’s heels
Spurs have hardly been mentioned at all with respect to the title race this term, but not only does Sunday’s result see them close to within just two points of City, it highlighted just how ruthless they can be in attack. If Kane – who has now scored in a brace in each of his last four appearances against Everton – and Son carry on like this, Liverpool might just have another team to keep an eye on.
Son shines bright
Everyone in Spurs’ attack and midfield impressed at Goodison, but Son was particularly effective, with his movement and ability on the ball constantly troubling Everton’s defence. On top of that, he got two goals and an assist in an all-round excellent showing.
A day to forget for Pickford
England’s goalkeeper will want to move on quickly from this showing, as he played a pivotal role in Spurs’ equaliser, parrying the ball straight to Alli for their second and was bailed out by the offside flag when he clattered into his international team-mate with an ugly challenge just before half-time.
What’s next?
Everton’s Boxing Day outing sees them travel to struggling Burnley, while Spurs host a Bournemouth side boosted by Saturday’s 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
Silva doing a 'fantastic job' but needs time at Everton - Pochettino
