Four big Everton talking points from Chris Beesley following the 0-0 Premier League draw at Tottenham Hotspur
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Vitaliy Mykolenko of Everton celebrates a referee decision during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 12, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Vitaliy Mykolenko celebrates a referee decision during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Arriving for £28million from Chelsea last August, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall hit the ground running and seemed to grasp what it takes to be an Everton player from the start. Despite hailing from the East Midlands, the feisty midfielder feels like a kindred spirit for Blues supporters.
While the mutual affection of course continues to burn bright, the star who turned 28 last Sunday, revealed this week that he felt stung somewhat by the early predictions that Everton’s season was already a write-off after what had happened in a chaotic and frustrating end to the summer transfer window.
An under-sized squad with just one recognised option in the striker, right-back and left-back areas has left many of the Blues’ followers and general football observers concerned that they’re just one injury or suspension away from a crisis – David Moyes himself acknowledged in his pre-match press conference for this fixture that he ideally likes to work with around 21 outfield players, three more than he now has at his disposal – but Dewsbury-Hall insists there is still plenty of quality among his team-mates.
Both points of view remain valid but with options limited and Thierno Barry now the only bona fide centre-forward at Everton’s disposal, Dewsbury-Hall’s gift to knit together the midfield with the attack remains more crucial than ever.
With 14 goal contributions last season, in the shape of eight strikes for himself plus six assists, he provided the Blues with an added dimension in the centre of the park they had missed for several years.
While Abdoulaye Doucoure could often pop up with a goal, he was never the kind of creative force as the Leicester City academy graduate. Having already got himself off the mark this term with a spectacular opening goal of the campaign against Crystal Palace, Dewsbury-Hall was gifted an opportunity to double his tally at Tottenham Hotspur when Antonin Kinsky kicked the ball straight to his feet.
But while he was able to get the shot off on his favoured left foot, his effort was too close to the Spurs keeper.
A booking soon afterwards for a challenge on Sandro Tonali was perhaps partly due to his frustrations but undeterred, Dewsbury-Hall then displayed impressive composure to pick out Brennan Johnson with a clever pass and although the Spurs old boy fluffed his lines on his return, there should be plenty more opportunities like that carved out that hopefully bear fruit.
Marvellous Myko
If Dewsbury-Hall’s contributions are important for Everton, then those of Vitalii Mykolenko, one of those three players in the squad who doesn’t have an alternative in his position, are vital.
Many of the left-back’s biggest problems since he came to Merseyside, snapped up by Rafael Benitez for £17million in the Spaniard’s final month in charge, surround who he is not. Drafted in from Dynamo Kyiv because the former Kop Idol turned short-term Goodison Park gaffer had fallen out with Lucas Digne.
Now he is playing under David Moyes, the manager who brought Leighton Baines, Everton’s best left-back of the Premier League era who remains at the club as his first-team coach. Now 27 and seemingly at the peak of his powers, Mykolenko might never reach the levels of that highly esteemed aforementioned pair of predecessors but this was surely his most accomplished display of the season to date and a demonstration of the levels he can perform at.
It’s often said that the Ukraine international has produced his best displays when merely focusing on defending against top-drawer opponents such as Mohamed Salah or Bukayo Saka, here he was able to look effective both in and out of possession.
Unlike his compatriot Mykhailo Mudryk, who is out for several weeks with what Roberto De Zerbi has lamented as being “a stupid injury”, this was one of Mykolenko’s most intelligent displays in an Everton shirt.
Johnson return
Johnson’s evening ended with a warm round of applause from Tottenham supporters but it should have been ferocious cheers of delight from travelling Evertonians to leave north London fans stunned.
Whatever you think of his all-round game, one of the Wales international’s strengths is as a finisher. Despite being primarily a wide attacker rather than central striker, Johnson has netted double figures across a season on four occasions in his career, including as recently as 2024/25 for Spurs when he crowned the campaign with his 18th strike to win the Europa League final against Manchester United.
That lack of end product in the final third curtailed his Crystal Palace career after just half a season and 26 blank outings, but having got off the mark already in royal blue with a goal and a brace at Deepdale in the Carabao Cup, hopes were high that the 25-year-old had got his mojo back.
Johnson is finding Premier League defences tougher to breach than a much-changed Preston North End outfit though, but here a marksman as talented as himself had to be hitting the target when having a chance put on a plate for him by Dewsbury-Hall.
At least, like Barry, he is getting on the end of these opportunities to miss them if we’re continuing with the glass half full theme. But whereas Tyrique George made way first here, as Jack Grealish works towards full fitness and a return to the starting line-up, the former Chelsea man looks in a stronger position right now to occupy the other wide berth.
Getting it right on the pitch
Moyes once steered Everton to back-to-back wins at White Hart Lane but it’s fair to say that Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has not been a happy hunting ground for the Blues since the north London side moved into their new home on the site of the former base.
In nine visits now since Spurs moved in towards the back of the 2018/19 season, the Blues' only win came in the artificial behind closed doors conditions of the coronavirus pandemic.
Such circumstances produced also produced only victory at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium to date and their only triumph over Liverpool at Anfield since 1999. So, in the grand scheme of things, this has to go down as a welcome point, even when you consider that this has been Annus Horribilis for their hosts.
In truth, it could have been a whole lot worse for De Zerbi’s side if Everton had actually shown some fight in this corresponding fixture on the final day of last season and laid a glove on their opponents in what was a toothless display.
Early on here it looked like they might get blown away, such was the tempo that Spurs started the game but this time the Blues resolutely weathered the storm and left the home fans frustrated as they booed off their own team.
For all the off the field shambles from those above them that have dealt Moyes and his players with a difficult hand, they’re digging in on the pitch so far this term and showing the kind of togetherness required to thrive in adversity.
With a little bit more quality in crucial moments, they could be doing even better.