In what was a fiery affair at Goodison Park on Monday night, Everton put on a thrilling comeback on their last legs as they drew 1-1 against Tottenham Hotspur.
While the first half at Merseyside may have been an incredibly nerve-wracking competition, things certainly came alive after returning from halftime.
When Abdoulaye Doukur showed a straight red card in the 58th minute after an altercation with Harry Kane, the England skipper then gave Tottenham the lead from the penalty spot, passing teammate Jordan Pickford.
However, while Tottenham may have been seconds away from kicking off the post-Antonio Conte era with a decisive win, it was Michael Keane who broke Tottenham’s heart with a remarkable lightning strike from 30 yards just minutes before injury time.
Everton’s late attack helped as the second-half substitute got his straight red card after Keane’s horrendous ordeal seconds before the defender equalized, Spurs would know they would be subject to more scrutiny.
On the night that the Butterscotched out of the relegation zone, we went over the main topics of conversation with Goodison Park.
Another collapse on its last legs for Tottenham
Finally, having finalized a nasty divorce from Conte last week, all eyes were on how Tottenham would manage without the former Chelsea boss in their dugout.
However, while Conte may have eventually left north London after a mind-boggling tirade against the Spurs’ hierarchy and their first-team stars, a similar story happened to the Lilywhites on Monday night.
Heading into the international break after squandering a two-goal lead against relegation Southampton as they ended up having to settle for a 3-3 draw at St Mary’s, the Spurs continue to gain a reputation for their inability to hold on to the lead.
While Monday’s point at Goodison may have propelled Tottenham back into the top four, they will know they have an uphill battle ahead of them in their quest to claim back-to-back Champions League titles this season.
More than aware that they will face even more scrutiny after another crash in Merseyside, the Spurs feel like a club that solves a lot of problems both on the field and behind the scenes.
However, in order to find a new permanent replacement for Conte and be knocked out of the Champions League at the hands of AC Milan last month, Spurs have also picked up just one win since 26 February.
The point that could save Everton’s season
While Everton could have faced a huge struggle after losing 1-0 and seeing Ducourt shown a straight red card just before the hour mark, Sean Dyche would have been extremely proud of the determination his team showed on Monday In the evening.
Backed by strong home support at Goodison and an overdrive when Keane landed the famous ‘wonder kick’ with his last breath, there’s no question that Monday’s hosts have breathed life into their mission to survive in the Premier League.
Having found their way out of the bottom three and clearly enjoying a new life under the former Burnley boss, fans of the blue half of Merseyside should find that the mood in their camp is at its highest all season.
Heading into the international break, as they once again showed their psychological resolve thanks to a late 2-2 draw away at Chelsea, Everton are now unbeaten in each of their last four Premier League matches in a row.
It looks like Dyche has really turned things around over the past month, and Dyche will now use Monday’s dramatic comeback as a platform to move forward further.
While Everton may face a tough challenge next time they travel to Manchester United this weekend, the Toffees will head to Old Trafford enjoying a real upswing.
Spurs troubles away will cost them top-four spot
While Monday’s 1-1 draw may have put Tottenham back in the top four for a while, it’s their rather egregious problems outside of north London that will cost them a decisive Champions League spot in May.
With the Spurs now losing back to back in a late stalemate away to Everton and Southampton, the Spurs have failed to win any of their last six consecutive matches in all competitions.
Having been shocked out of the FA Cup on 1 March after a 1-0 defeat by Championship side Sheffield United, the Lilywhites have also failed to win the Premier League on their travels since late January.
After being knocked out of the Champions League by a 1-0 first-leg loss to Italian heavyweights AC Milan, Tottenham will also face some tough trials.
Along with a season-defining trip to St James’ Park on April 23, Spurs will also visit clubs like Liverpool and Aston Villa before the end of the season.
Match report
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Keene, Tarkowski, Godfrey, Iwobi, Ducourt, Guie, Onana, McNeil, Gray
Subscriptions: Simms, Mikolenko, Garner, Davis
Tottenham: Lloris, Romero, Dyer, Lengte, Perisic, Heuberg, Skipp, Porro, Kulusevski, Son, Kane
Subscriptions: Moura, Sanchez
Goals: Everton: Keane (90′) – Tottenham: Kane (68′, penalty)
Yellow cards: Kane, Lenglet, Romero
Red cards: Everton: Ducur – Tottenham: Moura
Judge: David Kut
