Tottenham Hotspur vs. Everton: final score 4-0, Kane fires his way to Spurs record

Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane made another bit of history today, scoring two goals and becoming Spurs’ all-time leading Premier League goal scorer in a 4-0 win home over Everton. Son Heung-Min and Christian Eriksen provided the other goals as Spurs ran riot at Wembley Stadium.

Kane’s goals were his 97th and 98th career Premier League goals, putting him ahead of Spurs legend Teddy Sheringham as Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer in the Premier League era.

Tottenham fielded what many would say is their strongest possible lineup at present against the Toffees. Mauricio Pochettino opted to start Eric Dier alongside Mousa Dembele in midfield, with Son Heung-Min, Dele Alli, and Christian Eriksen ahead of the pivot. Serge Aurier and Ben Davies were the wingbacks, with Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez in central defense. Harry Kane, of course, started up top.

Everton handed a first start for their newest signing, striker Cenk Tosun, who moved to Goodison Park from Besiktas. Former Tottenham player Gylfi Sigurdsson was also in the starting lineup, while Aaron Lennon began the match on the bench.

First Half

Spurs opened the half with their modus operandi: ball possession and passing. The majority of the opening part of the first half was spent around the Everton box, but resulted in very few chances for the home side.

Spurs got the first good look at goal. In the 15th minute, Christian Eriksen put a free kick into the box. His ball found Son Heung-Min’s head, but his flick went wide of the far post. It would’ve been a pretty phenomenal goal had it gone in. Everton came back on the ensuing possession, and Wayne Rooney had a low effort dribble wide on the counterattack.

Midway through the half, Rooney thought he had put Everton in front after he fired home a ball past Hugo Lloris at close range, but the linesman correctly adjudged him to be offside and the goal was called back.

Harry Kane didn’t get that many good looks at goal and had a man draped on him at all times in the first half. Even so he had a couple of decent half-chances, but none that amounted to anything that might have troubled Jordan Pickford.

In the end, it was Son who got Spurs off the mark. Christian Eriksen put a lovely cross-field ball to a wide open Serge Aurier who had acres of space to work with. Aurier dribbled toward goal had the option to to shoot from an acute angle. Instead, he had the presence of mind to put a low ball across goal that found a streaking Sonny, who easily tapped the ball in to give Spurs the lead. It was Sonny’s eighth Premier League goal this season, 11th in all competitions.

That was basically the story of the first half. Everton looked open in defense and relatively toothless in attack, despite a period of possession late in the half. The first half ended with Spurs looking comfortable and with a one goal lead.

Second Half

The second half started off extremely brightly, just three minutes in. Son got the ball in midfield and absolutely destroyed Jonjoe Kenny, turning straight past him into space. He found Harry Kane in front of goal, who tapped the ball in for his first of the night. Kane was perhaps lucky as replay showed him marginally offside, but the goal stood.

Sonny was involved again in the 53rd minute with a lovely ball to Dele, who was through on goal. Dele, however, found his finishing a little wayward and he got only side netting. Five minutes later, Sonny found a little space at the top of the box and ripped a shot off the post.

Instead, it was Kane who got his record-setting second goal in the 60th minute. Eric Dier fired a cross from the corner of the box to Kane’s feet. Kane mishit his shot, firing into the ground, but the ball carried into the net and Spurs were up 3.

Sonny wasn’t content and was looking for a second goal. In the 77th minute, Sonny had another shot saved. The rebound fell to Dele, but his second chance went straight at Pickford, who held on.

Christian Eriksen provided the coup de grace in the 86th minute, finishing with a fantastic shot off of a lovely bit of team play. Aurier found Son outside the box, who fed Dele. Alli had an outstanding backheel flick to Eriksen, who put a powerful shot past Pickford to put Spurs up 4-0.

Spurs eventually made subs, all late in the game: Victor Wanyama came in for Eric Dier, Mousa Sissoko for Dembele, and Erik Lamela for Christian Eriksen. Spurs took their foot off the gas after Eriksen’s strike, and the match ended with a resounding 4-0 win.

Reactions:

• Has Son Heung-Min turned into the second best player on Tottenham Hotspur? I think there’s an argument that he has. Kane might have scored 2, but Sonny was easily my MOTM.
• Sonny’s turn and run for Tottenham’s second goal was glorious. RIP Jonjoe Kenny.
• Kane’s brace not only fired him ahead of Sheringham in total Premier League goals, but also keeps him ahead of Mo Salah for the Golden Boot, AND puts him within six goals of Alan Gilzean in 8th place on Tottenham’s all-time goal list.
• More on Kane’s record: he has 98 goals in 135 Premier League games. Sheringham finished his career with 97 in 236. Amazing.
• I thought Serge Aurier had a wonderful match today. It certainly didn’t hurt that Everton didn’t really seem keen on defending him.
• Until he was subbed off late, Mousa Dembele was one of Spurs’ most important players. He bossed the midfield, and looked a lot like the completely dominant pre-injury 2015 Dembele that we all remember so fondly.
• If you want a glass-half-empty observation, I was less than impressed with Ben Davies again, though he came around a bit in the second half.
• Everton were toothless, but Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen were imperious at the back today. I’m not sure Hugo even had to make a significant save.
• Spurs are now within three points of Chelsea and tied with Liverpool in the table, though the Reds have a game in hand.