Everton’s unbeaten run at Hill Dickinson Stadium is over after a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.
Micky van de Ven’s first-half brace left Everton in the mire, while Jake O’Brien had a first-half header disallowed.
Everton huffed and puffed, but couldn’t blow the Tottenham door down before Pape Matar Sarr added number three.
Everton’s striking situation won’t get better any time soon
Another game, another blank for Everton’s strike force.
Beto forced Guglielmo Vicario into one brilliant save, but he struggled for large spells against Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso.
Thierno Barry has endured a slow start at Everton, and he wasn’t much better when he came on.
Everton’s situation up top won’t improve before January, and the winter transfer window may not solve the problems.
Toffees fans may remember the impact of Nikica Jelavic after his January 2012 arrival, but finding a player to make that instant impression is not easy.
MORE EVERTON STORIES
James Garner to right-back must be considered
David Moyes may need to consider changes to make Everton a little more dangerous going forward at home.
Jake O’Brien is a fine young defender, but he is not a natural right-back – and it shows when Everton are chasing games.
Seamus Coleman, perhaps, isn’t the solution, but James Garner has performed well at right-back in the past.
Alan Stubbs has suggested Garner to right-back and that is something Moyes must consider moving forward, whether from the start or after substitutions.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall under pressure
Moyes went with summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as his number 10, as has been the case for most of the season.
Dewsbury-Hall is neat and tidy, but he keeps it ‘safe’ far too often in the final third.
Everton needed real thrust in the second half, but saw Dewsbury-Hall play safe and reserved even at 2-0 down.
Dewsbury-Hall was a significant addition over the summer, but Carlos Alcaraz is knocking on the door.
The former Chelsea man needs to step it up soon, or Alcaraz will take his spot.
Merlin Rohl catches the eye
Everton fans have been looking forward to seeing deadline day signing Merlin Rohl in action ever since his arrival from Freiburg.
Rohl is on loan from Freiburg with a permanent option teed up for 2026, but an injury has halted his impact.
The German is still settling for appearances off the bench, but he showed some flashes of real quality on the turn against Spurs.
Rohl also had a chance to score but missed the target, and we are excited to see him in action over the coming weeks and months.
Everton can still tighten up from set pieces
Everton boasted a strong record heading into Sunday’s game, sitting as the only Premier League club not to concede a set-piece goal this season.
Peter Drury championed that statistic on Sky Sports, just before Micky van de Ven headed in the opener.
As if one wasn’t bad enough, Everton then conceded from another set piece as Van de Ven buried another corner.
Everton had been strong from set pieces, but it’s clear that there is still work for Moyes and co today after Sunday’s goals.