Analysis: Everton

Marco Silva set his Everton team up in a 4-2-3-1 structure, with Tom Davies and Andre Gomes as the double pivot in midfield. Prioritising build-up in the wide areas and using crosses from their full-backs meant the hosts could push Theo Walcott or Richarlison into the penalty area as an extra central attacker to support Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Gylfi Sigurdsson. Both runners had early chances, and it was from a low Calvert-Lewin cross that Walcott shot Everton into an earlyish, albeit short-lived, lead. The pair again combined to have the ball in the Tottenham net moments later, but Calvert-Lewin’s header was disallowed for a push on Davinson Sanchez.

The hosts struggled when building with shorter passes in the central lane, against Tottenham’s heavy central presence. They thus reverted to focusing on the wider areas, with Seamus Coleman making good forward progress from right-back. This worked particularly well with Richarlison – a stronger aerial presence than might be expected – making late runs in from the opposite flank.

As Tottenham started to dominate, Everton’s possession naturally suffered. Direct switches of play – avoiding the central lane completely – helped them play around or over Spurs’ aggressively pressing front line, but in the final third they lacked the quality to hold the ball up or create subtle combinations in tight areas.

The injury to Andre Gomes midway through the second half, shortly after Sigurdsson had given Everton some semblance of hope at 4-2 down, reduced the effectiveness of the hosts’ possession, especially as they tried to build with direct switches of play. Without Gomes to orchestrate proceedings within the central lane – and often deliver the final switch itself – Everton lost their regular route to the flanks. They were unable to consistently play through or around the visitors’ mid-block, with neither their passing nor movement having any real impact.

Out of possession, Everton converted into a flat 4-4-2 structure, with Sigurdsson usually the one to move higher and support Calvert-Lewin. Walcott and Richarlison dropped back into a flat midfield four, but both stayed too deep without the ball – with their two quickest players so far back, the hosts’ counter-attacks lacked any significant cutting edge.

Their mid-block moved deeper and deeper throughout the first half, but it looked relatively comfortable until Jordan Pickford collided with Kurt Zouma and Son Heung-min drew the visitors level. From here, Everton’s back line lost its organisation against a fluid and rotating Tottenham attack that repeatedly found gaps in between and behind the lines. Two more goals before the break – both from rebounds – represented brutal punishment for a shellshocked defence.

Christian Eriksen’s superb low strike beat Pickford from distance shortly after the restart. With the Dane now supporting more ahead of the ball from deep, and substitute Erik Lamela’s dribbling in central areas yet another threat, Everton’s central midfield became simply overwhelmed. Further goals from both Harry Kane and Son Heung-min condemned the Toffees to a thrashing, with Silva now having coached three different teams to six-goal home defeats.