Tottenham Hotspur have begun the 2016-17 Premier League season with a 1-1 draw away at Everton.
Spurs fell behind inside the opening six minutes, but the North London side improved after half time and an Erik Lamela header gave Mauricio Pochettino’s men a point they just about deserved.
GK: Hugo Lloris – 5/10
Tottenham’s skipper will have been very disappointed when he was deceived early on by Ross Barkley’s in-swinging cross which nestled into his net. But Lloris swiftly showed his class moments later as he made a fine save to prevent Phil Jagielka from making it 2-0.
Injury then ended the Frenchman’s afternoon prematurely though and he was replaced by Michel Vorm (7/10) on 35 minutes.
RB: Kyle Walker – 7/10
Was effective at both ends of the pitch, providing a fine cross for his side’s equaliser moments before making a well-timed tackle to deny Kevin Mirallas a genuine chance at the other end.
CB: Toby Alderweireld – 7/10
Good performance from last season’s Spurs Fans’ Player of the Year. Alderweireld held his side together at the back. His positioning was sound, while he helped his side dominate possession by using his good feet under pressure, instead of reverting to long clearances.
CB: Jan Vertonghen – 5/10
Looked like a man who had hadn’t played football in 10 weeks. Tottenham’s left-sided centre-back – playing his first game of any sort since injuring his ankle at Euro 2016 – was pretty sluggish by his high standards.
LB: Danny Rose – 5/10
Didn’t get forward as well as Walker and almost gave away a goal on the stroke of half time when his terrible back-pass sent Gerard Deulofeu in on goal, before Vorm saved his teammate with a good stop.
CM: Eric Dier – 6/10
Didn’t do much wrong against his former club, but was sacrificed on 56 minutes when Spurs brought on Vincent Janssen (6/10) to switch to a more attacking formation.
CM: Victor Wanyama – 6/10
A typically-powerful performance on debut. Gave away more fouls than any other starting player (three), but didn’t cross the line. In possession, Wanyama always looked in control and performed a decent 90-minute impression of Mousa Dembele.
AM: Erik Lamela – 8/10
Worked his socks off all game and was rewarded with a goal, which was very well taken. Very nearly scored again late on, but Maarten Stekelenburg pulled off a stunning save.
AM: Dele Alli – 5/10
Not his best game in a Spurs shirt by any stretch of the imagination. Alli pressed well without the ball, but – despite trying to be positive when he had it – he created nothing.
AM: Christian Eriksen – 5/10
Disappointing showing from Eriksen. His set-pieces were OK, but he was tame and uninspiring in open play.
It was reported by The Mirror last night that Eriksen’s representatives want Spurs to pay the Dane £150,000 per week – £108,000 more than he is currently on. Today’s evidence will not have strengthened their case in those contract negotiations.
ST: Harry Kane – 4/10
Starved of space as a result of Everton’s early goal, which encouraged the Toffees to sit deep all game. Kane didn’t register a shot all game.