REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Tottenham remain without a Premier League win or goal this season after Everton held them to a grim 0-0 draw in north London.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side have now fired blanks in all four league matches, a first in the club’s entire history.
REUTERS/Ian Walton
There was early urgency from the hosts, with Spurs racking up four attempts inside 10 minutes, and Jan Paul van Hecke should have done better when he met Andy Robertson’s free kick from close range, only to lift the ball over.
Spurs continued to control possession without finding a route through Everton’s organised defensive shape.
Savio looked lively on the right and Mateus Fernandes carried the ball into advanced areas, but promising attacks repeatedly broke down before Jordan Pickford could be tested.
The home supporters had to wait until the 47th minute for a shot on target, and it was Fernandes’ weak effort that rolled comfortably into Pickford’s arms, which was greeted by ironic cheers from the crowd.
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|Tottenham 0-0 Everton|
|Match stat|Everton|Tottenham|
|---|
|Possession|38%|62%|
|Expected goals (xG)|1.17|0.64|
|Total shots|12|14|
|Shots on target|3|2|
|Shots off target|3|4|
|Blocked shots|6|8|
|Big chances|3|1|
|Big chances missed|3|1|
|Shots inside the box|9|8|
|Corners|6|5|
|Passes|381|643|
|Pass accuracy|84%|93%|
|Fouls committed|8|14|
|Offsides|1|2|
|Yellow cards|2|0|
|Red cards|0|0|
|Goalkeeper saves|2|3|
Everton then created the more dangerous openings.
Antonin Kinsky knew little about Thierno Barry’s header which struck him and went wide, before the Tottenham goalkeeper presented Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with possession outside the box, but the midfielder returned a tame shot straight at him.
Former Spurs winger Brennan Johnson also wasted a major chance to punish his old side as the anxiety around the stadium increased.
REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
De Zerbi responded with a triple substitution, sending on Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Bergvall, yet none could provide the missing breakthrough.
Tottenham finished with 62 per cent possession and 14 attempts, but managed only two on target and produced an expected goals total of just 0.64.
Their best late moment came when Pickford surrendered possession and then recovered brilliantly to deny Bergvall, with boos following at the final whistle as Tottenham’s league goal drought passed 400 minutes.
Attention then shifted towards De Zerbi and Tel.
Roberto De Zerbi spotted in heated Mathys Tel exchange after Everton draw
Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Sky TV footage showed the Tottenham boss involved in what appeared to be a heated back and forth with the French attacker after the game.
Both men looked animated as the discussion continued on the pitch following another frustrating result.
Tel had entered in place of Dominic Solanke shortly after the hour mark, but found little space against Everton’s deep defence and was unable to change the contest.
The images will still attract attention because De Zerbi criticised Tel’s decision-making after Tottenham’s previous goalless draw at Nottingham Forest.
The Italian described him as a player with major potential but made clear that his choices in attacking areas must improve.
That criticism came only months after De Zerbi reportedly assured Tel that he was counting on him for the new season.
The exchange doesn't prove there is a serious dispute between them by any means, but it perhaps underlines the tension surrounding a Tottenham attack yet to score in the league.