Liverpool Echo

The Spurs boss has repeatedly spoken highly about Everton's fanbase and did so again after becoming the first away manager to win a competitive game at Hill Dickinson Stadium

Thomas Frank had more praise for Everton supporters after leading his Tottenham Hotspur side to a 3-0 win at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Spurs boss has repeatedly spoken highly of the Blues fanbase, whose passion he witnessed at full throttle when his Brentford team visited Goodison Park at the end of the 2021/22 season. His side arrived in L4 amid one of the first of the vociferous coach welcomes that inspired the team to safety under Frank Lampard - though not before losing 3-2 to the Bees that afternoon.

Those scenes stuck with him and inspired a section of his programme notes when Everton travelled to the Gtech Community Stadium at the beginning of the following season. On Sunday night, on his first visit to the club’s new ground, he again went out of his way to offer up praise - highlighting the “very good home crowd”.

OPINION

The atmosphere built to a crescendo at Hill Dickinson for the start of the match as Everton sought to extend their unbeaten start to life on the Liverpool waterfront. With referee Craig Pawson overseeing a series of contentious decisions, the excitement turned into fury as two goals from Micky Van de Ven and a Pape Matar Sarr header meant it was the away end that left in celebration.

After the match, Frank said: “I am very happy with that. I think it was overall a very solid performance. I'm especially pleased with the first half, where I think we were good in phase one, good in phase two. We had more passes, controlled the game more in phases. In general, the second half was a little bit more of a dogfight at times, and going here to Everton, which is against a very good team that is well set up by David Moyes and [which has] a very good home crowd.

Everton analysis from Chris Beesley following the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League at Hill Dickinson Stadium

As overhead scissor-kicks go, it was hardly a glorious moment like Pele in Escape to Victory, but Beto’s acrobatic attempt to try and get his side back into the game summed up how things have been going for Everton’s number nine. With the Blues already two-nil down and facing a mountain to climb, Iliman Ndiaye, who went into this season with 11 goals to his name for the club – including their last two at Goodison Park – and then followed that up with the first at Hill Dickinson Stadium, again showed how of late he has become a potent provider from out wide, having been moved to the right flank.

In his maiden campaign on Merseyside, the Senegal international was a taker rather than a maker of chances – which was demonstrated in spectacular fashion by his solo strike in this corresponding fixture which brought David Moyes’ first three points since returning – but while he would often cut inside to have a shot himself, the crosses were in short supply.

Now Jack Grealish is operating on that side of the pitch, Ndiaye has moved over, and it seems to enable him to pick out team-mates. There was the first assist to tee up international team-mate Idrissa Gueye in the Merseyside Derby; Moyes name-checked his delivery that resulted in Grealish’s dramatic stoppage-time winner here last time out, and of course, he fed Beto twice in Everton’s prior fixture to this at Manchester City.

OPINION

Ndiaye had already put a chance on a plate for his Blues team-mates in the first half, but once more, his centre-forward failed to make a proper connection, and it was left to Grealish to see his effort cleared off the line by Pedro Porro.

Beto knows that he will ultimately be judged by his goal output, and while he’s the only Everton striker to have found the net so far this season, one goal in 567 Premier League minutes so far this season doesn’t make great reading.

But, for now at least, the striker who hit five in a four-game purple patch in the competition for Moyes last February is going to have to try and play his way out of the slump. Understudy Thierno Barry is not doing any better, and the Blues are in desperate need of some added cutting edge.

Soft centre

All of a sudden, Everton facing being without their most valuable player and defensive colossus Jarrad Branthwaite for a prolonged period came into sharp focus with a disjointed display at the back in the week that the England international underwent an operation after suffering a setback with his hamstring injury.

Going into the previous weekend, Blues boss Moyes was looking forward to having Branthwaite – who hasn’t kicked a ball all season – on the cusp of a return, but now he finds himself further away than ever, and boy was he missed here.

When asked about the recovery period in his pre-match press conference to preview this fixture, the manager refused to put a timescale on proceedings and insisted that his prize asset would not be rushed.

Writing in his programme notes, the 62-year-old said of Branthwaite: “We hope he won’t be out for too long because obviously he is a hugely important member of our team, and to be without him for such a long period was not what we expected. We wish him well and hope for a speedy recovery.”

To be fair to James Tarkowski and Michael Keane, the pair of them – who previously played together at Burnley – have so far forged a solid partnership, but this was not an opportune time for the wheels to fall off in such spectacular fashion.

Once again, their general play, particularly that of Keane, who made a strong, well-timed interception on Xavi Simons in the penalty area early on, was mostly sound, but when it mattered most, they and the rest of the home defence were found badly lacking.

Everton couldn’t say they hadn’t been warned, with Spurs captain Micky van de Ven having already headed in the opener – when he’d already been left unmarked in the six-yard box – but somehow he managed to get himself between the Blues’ two centre-backs to do it again and double his side’s advantage.

Hopefully it proves to be a painful exception to the rule, but Everton’s defenders need to re-establish their solidity quickly.

Home comforts

The citadel has been stormed by the banks of the Mersey.

Roma were the first visiting side here to taste victory in the inaugural senior game back in August, but once the competitive action got under way, Everton were, up until this point, undefeated in their new 52,769-capacity home.

Curiously, Tottenham Hotspur, the last incumbent Premier League team to move to a new stadium (Brentford’s switch was more recent in 2020 under current Spurs boss Thomas Frank, but they were still in the Championship at the time), went five games unbeaten, but now they have defeated the Blues, who went six.

Like anyone at this level, Moyes’ men have at times during that run had to ride their luck – especially in their Premier League opener against Brighton & Hove Albion, and then last time out when facing Crystal Palace, who could have easily been three-nil up themselves before Everton staged a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory to deny them going 20 games unbeaten – but this proved to be an emphatic unravelling in the new surroundings.

Ironically, this was originally due to be the match that fan group the 1878s, who added spark to the final days at Goodison Park, were due to have their first display, but instead the previous evening was used as a fundraiser when they released their set of flags and banners that had filled the stands at ‘The Grand Old Lady’ now required some serious super-sizing.

It’s not often that Moyes’ team are beaten by such margins, following his return, only Manchester City – twice – had beaten the Blues by more than a single-goal margin in a Premier League game, but despite what was a bright start here, Spurs would highlight the hosts’ lack of a cutting edge.

Hill Dickinson Stadium can still be a daunting place for visitors to come to, but it must be remembered that last season Everton enjoyed just five home wins in the league, the joint lowest in their history, along with 1957/58.

As the manager cautioned in his programme notes, “Everton was never going to be a quick fix.” However, he hopes: “We are still pressing all the right buttons to try and fast-forward that process,” and the supporters can play a big part in that.

David Moyes was speaking to the media following Everton's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Hill Dickinson Stadium

David Moyes said he had no issue with the major decisions that went against his side as Everton fell to their first defeat at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Jake O’Brien had a goal disallowed after VAR intervened to highlight that Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye were not just offside but interfering with play - even though their presence may not have stopped him from saving the effort.

Micky Van de Ven’s second headed goal sparked further anger in the home stands after the centre back appeared to push Jordan Pickford in the build up. For Moyes, the defeat did not lie at the hands of Craig Pawson and his officials, however.

On O’Brien’s disallowed effort, he said: “I think the goal we got chopped off for offside was the correct decision. I think Ili’s offside.

OPINION

"At the time and from where I looked at it from the touchline, it looked to me as if everyone was OK, but I've just looked at it after I came in after the game, so I can’t argue with that now.”

And on whether Pickford was fouled: “No, I don't think there was a foul on that. I don't think so.”

With that in mind, Moyes was asked whether he placed the responsibility for the 3-0 defeat at the feet of his players. The Scot said: “Well, the players will always take responsibility and I do, of course we do.

"We've been very good at set pieces in the main, but today Spurs - whatever team Thomas [Frank] has had have been good at set pieces - their deliveries were good.

"We had more corner kicks than them today, but they got their head on them and we didn't and the goalkeeper punched a few and we didn’t.”

Everton match verdict from Joe Thomas following the 3-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Hill Dickinson Stadium

Idrissa Gueye held his head in his hands. Jordan Pickford, 35 yards from his goalmouth, shouted in disgust. Jack Grealish looked stunned. Disgusted and stunned. With 20 minutes to go, Everton were two goals down, but it still felt as though they were in this game.

When the ball broke to Grealish, he cut inside and prepared to unleash a counter attack that could have been a route to a comeback, only to have his legs taken from beneath him by Rodrigo Bentancur.

It was a cynical foul and one the midfielder was lucky to escape a booking for. Grealish was not so fortunate, picking up a yellow card for his protest at Craig Pawson’s initial leniency. It was a split-second that summed up this game.

OPINION

Pedro Porro had been shown similar favour inside the first 10 minutes when his boot raked down the shins of Grealish. The decisions were not going Everton’s way. That was no clearer than through the major, contentious calls upon which this game swung. It is why Pawson left the pitch to boos at the end of both halves.

This game hinged on the events in the middle of the first half. Everton could have no complaint of the officials after Micky Van de Ven nodded in Bentancur’s back post header from a corner that was straight from the playbook of former Blues boss Sean Dyche.

But minutes later the hosts were celebrating a quick response after Jake O’Brien headed in from a near-post corner. Those celebrations were short-lived before changing into a pitch of fury when VAR intervened and the goal was ruled out for offside. O’Brien was fine, but Guglielmo Vicario was surrounded by Grealish and Ndiaye, both clearly offside when their teammate met the cross. It is hard to argue, as Pawson concluded, that their presence impacted Vicario. That he would not have saved the effort had those players not been there left a bitter taste, however.

The sense of anger on the pitch and in the stands doubled on the break when Everton fell further behind to a second Van de Ven header from a corner. There was clear contact between his outstretched arm and the body of Jordan Pickford before he leapt to meet the cross. VAR checked that goal – as it checks every goal – but this time decided against stepping in. The Hill Dickinson Stadium seethed with a sense of injustice.

Everton had every reason to feel annoyed and the second-half booking for Grealish – his second for dissent this season – summed up the failure for anything to fall in favour of the hosts on a wet, stormy night on the Liverpool waterfront.

Yet there is only so much frustration they can direct at others in another game in which they prodded the seams of their own abilities. This is a team capable of playing free-flowing, intelligent football. At various points in this fixture the Blues looked set to harness their rage in positive fashion. It would have been a very different night under the lights, for instance, had Beto been able to fire Ndiaye’s cross in from close range inside the opening five minutes. For the third time in six weeks, the Guinea-Bissau international missed a golden opportunity in the opening stages of a game that Everton went on to drop points in. It may be unfair to have expected him to score all three. But that none ended up in the back of the net is a growing source of worry.

The 27-year-old persevered again, but in a system that does not suit him, his limitations were clear, as were those of a side which has no natural attacking support from full-back to help Grealish and Ndiaye.

Both still had moments, though, and Ndiaye was again a menace on the right. And for all that Beto is struggling, he was unfortunate not to get the goal that could kickstart his season when his acrobatic second-half effort was clawed away by Vicario. It was one of three excellent saves from the Spurs keeper, who was at full stretch to push a James Garner effort from distance around the post and then reacted brilliantly to prevent a deflected Ndiaye shot from beating him.

The history books will present this as a comfortable win for Spurs, but in reality Everton were always in this game, and the feeling of belief and the determination to keep battling should offer a crumb of comfort to Moyes. The reasons for the failure to find a way back into this game extended beyond the controversial decisions of the matchday officials, however. One cause of worry is that Beto is still yet to find form and, in his search for it, is struggling to help his teammates. Thierno Barry looked brighter when he came on in the second half, though whether he can be the solution for this season is also unclear. Everton need to solve that problem quickly if they harbour ambitions of a top-half finish.

The game ended with a third for Spurs as Pape Matar Sarr nodded in from a Richarlison header across the box. It was a soft goal conceded by a team that was frantically searching for a way back. It piled on the misery as Everton suffered a first defeat at their new stadium, though.

Everton have important lessons to learn after what happened in first-half against Tottenham

Everton snap analysis from Chris Beesley following the 3-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Hill Dickinson Stadium

David Moyes was blunt about Everton’s set pieces last season when he came back to the club, describing them as “rubbish”, but when it came to keeping them out at the other end this term, the Blues were the last man standing, as it were.

Perhaps employing a former Liverpool player as set-piece coach was always going to be troublesome, like the club’s ill-fated appointment of Rafael Benitez, the man who petulantly described Everton as a “small club” after a goalless Merseyside Derby stalemate at Anfield during Moyes’ first spell in charge, but it would be unfair to pin all their woes on Charlie Adam and the efforts he put in during the second half of 2024/25 alongside a staff containing fellow Scots, Moyes, Alan Irvine and Billy McKinlay.

While the ex-Red has now moved on, the Blues have at least been standing firm when defending them in 2025/26, even without the presence of their colossus at the back, Jarrad Branthwaite, who now faces a prolonged period on the sidelines after undergoing an operation for a hamstring injury this week, having undergone a major setback.

OPINION

But just as Everton’s praises were being sung for being the only Premier League team who had not been breached by a set-piece, lightning struck twice in the same place against Tottenham Hotspur, whose captain Micky van de Ven headed in from a brace of corners.

To add insult to injury, the Blues were of course denied an equaliser in between from one of their own, as Jake O’Brien’s header was ruled out after Craig Pawson checked the pitchside monitor and deemed that Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish, standing in offside positions, were impeding opposition goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

The doom-mongers have waxed lyrical about the increase in set-piece goals and long throws – we’re told Spurs take the longest in the division to despatch theirs– and even goal kicks going back to being launched upfield.

The idea that the Premier League is now the home of 21st-century equivalents to Wimbledon’s ‘Crazy Gang’ and Dave Bassett’s Sheffield United seems rather hysterical, though.

Among these 20 teams, though, Everton, even with their added guile, remain one of the biggest, most physically imposing sides, and they need to start using that to their advantage.

This was a bad day at the office, no doubt, but important lessons can be learnt.

Everton suffered their first defeat in a competitive match at Hill Dickinson Stadium as a disallowed equaliser knocked the stuffing out of them against Tottenham Hotspur, and they were ultimately well beaten, 3-0.

The visitors went ahead with a headed goal from a corner by captain Micky van de Ven, and with Jake O’Brien’s leveller in similar fashion being ruled out because Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish – both standing in offside positions – were deemed to have impaired opposition keeper Guglielmo Vicario, they then repeated the trick to double their advantage. The rout was completed in the 89th minute as Pape Matar Sarr was left unmarked in the area to also nod in from a cross by fellow substitute and Blues old boy Richarlison.

The ECHO were in attendance at Hill Dickinson Stadium and here we run the rule over the performance of the Blues' players.

Jordan Pickford 6

Dealt with everything that came his way, including a shot from former team-mate Richarlison, but will be disappointed with the way his defence failed to deal with two Spurs’ corner-kick routines.

Jake O’Brien 5

Cruelly denied a headed equaliser following referee Craig Pawson’s review of the pitchside VAR monitor, but he’d earlier retreated to his goal-line, leaving Micky van de Ven unmarked to nod Spurs ahead.

Vitalii Mykolenko 5

Had his hands full trying to keep tabs on Brennan Johnson and Mohammed Kudus having almost found himself in a goalscoring position just a couple of minutes in.

James Tarkowski 5

Allowed van de Ven to get between him and Keane for the second, having hurt his back when making the challenge on Muani to concede the corner for the opener, he was left on his own to try and deal with Pape Matar Sarr for the third goal late on.

Michael Keane 5

Made a well-timed early interception to deny Xavi Simons in the area, but Everton could have done with his aerial presence in the right area when they conceded the opener from the corner and then he and Tarkowski had van de Ven in between them for the second.

Idrissa Gueye 6

Used the ball well in the engine room but those behind him were slack, ensuring he was often having to fight a rearguard action.

James Garner 6

Tested Guglielmo Vicario from distance with a well-struck low drive, he started strongly but faded, picking up a booking for bringing down Mohammed Kudus and moved to right-back after Rohl’s introduction.

Iliman Ndiaye 7

Lively down the right wing, his early cross could have been converted by either Beto or Grealish and he kept Spurs’ defenders on their toes, putting the cross in for Beto’s overhead kick opportunity.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall 6

Some promising ball-carrying, he was more involved in Everton’s forward play, but frustratingly too often he couldn’t get his shots off properly.

Jack Grealish 7

Probing from early on, he was a constant threat and saw a shot cleared off the line by Pedro Porro before he and Ndiaye were offside for the disallowed equaliser before his frustrations boiled over in the second half, collecting a yellow card for complaining to the referee.

Beto 5

Kept plugging away, spearheading the attack but nothing dropped for him, including an overhead kick with his back to goal that Vicario saved.

Substitutes

Thierno Barry (on 66 for Beto) 6

Looked more polished than Beto when he came on, but still didn’t go close to scoring.

Merlin Rohl (on 66 for O’Brien) 6

Brought a greater presence in the centre of the park as Everton chased the game.

Charly Alcaraz (on 86 for Gueye) N/A

Had to be satisfied with a late cameo.

The Premier League have explained their decision to disallow Everton’s equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Spurs captain Micky van de Ven headed his side in front from a corner kick on 19 minutes, but the Blues looked to have restored parity in similar fashion just five minutes later as Jake O’Brien nodded past Guglielmo Vicario in the visitors' net.

However, the decision was reviewed by VAR, although Stuart Attwell at Stockley Park did not make the call himself and invited on-field referee Craig Pawson to consult the pitchside monitor for the first time at the Blues’ new 52,769-capacity home on the Mersey waterfront.

After watching the footage, the South Yorkshire official deemed that both Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish were standing in an offside position and putting off the opposition goalkeeper.

The Premier League Match Centre account on X (formerly Twitter) read as follows: “After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of goal to Everton. Referee announcement: ‘After review, Everton 10 and 18 were in an offside position, interfering with the goalkeeper. The final decision is an in-direct free kick in the six yard box.’”

Speaking on commentary at the time, Gary Neville said: "I don't think the VAR officials are sure themselves. It's a 50/50 this one.

"From the VAR we were hearing, they're having a right good look at it. There's a little bit of contact and it'll be overturned, I'm sure.

"It's not gone down well. You could almost see the fear in the referee's eyes! I don't think he's ever going to save it, but it's a 50/50 one."

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Jack Grealish makes an immediate return for Everton after the playmaker missed the trip to Manchester City because he could not face his parent club.

The 30-year-old is back in David Moyes' starting XI for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur, taking the place of Carlos Alcaraz. Moyes looks set to revert to his favoured attacking midfield of Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye - available to him for the first time since the draw with West Ham United given that Dewsbury-Hall was suspended for the win over Crystal Palace.

That comeback victory extended Everton's unbeaten start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. It will be tested again this after as Thomas Frank seeks to help Spurs respond to last weekend's defeat by Aston Villa, which was followed by a goalless draw in Monaco in the Champions League.

Moyes hopes to take advantage of any tiredness in the legs of the visitors after that midweek excursion. To do so, he has named an otherwise unchanged starting XI from the defeat at the Etihad.

Jake O'Brien, who made his first league start for Everton in this fixture last season, retains his place at right back while Moyes keeps faith with Beto - who was unable to take advantage of two good chances last Saturday when the game was level. Michael Keane also keeps his place, which was expected to come under threat from the returning Jarrad Branthwaite before he suffered a setback to his hamstring last weekend.

Merlin Rohl, who Moyes waxed lyrical about at Finch Farm on Friday, will have to wait to make an impression with the German youth international starting on the bench.

Everton (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Beto

Everton line-ups for Tottenham as Jack Grealish recalled and Merlin Rohl and Beto decisions made

Our Everton writers predict their line-ups for today's Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur at Hill Dickinson Stadium

David Moyes secured the first win of his second stint in charge of Everton when Tottenham Hotspur were the visitors to Goodison Park in January. It was a game that marked a seismic shift in the Blues' season as the Grand Old Lady rocked with delight as the hosts raced into a 3-0 lead by half-time.

A late Spurs fightback threatened to ruin the party but Everton held on to three points that would mark the start of the climb away from trouble led by Moyes.

As Spurs return to Merseyside this afternoon, this time with Thomas Frank at the helm, the ECHO's Everton writers consider how they would set the Blues team up for the contest.

Joe Thomas

Jack Grealish returns straight away, for me. I like Carlos Alcaraz a lot but I think we can see the attacking three behind the striker that has gelled best has probably been Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye.

I'm still not sure that Ndiaye on the right is his best use but once again, at Manchester City, he showed he can be really effective there and that is probably best for the balance of the side.

I would stick with Beto up front - I am just plumping for him right now and hoping he can find a goal that can start a run of form. I thought he did okay in the early stages at the Etihad, though it would have been nice had he put one of those chances away. At least he is getting in those positions, though.

I am intrigued by the prospect of Merlin Rohl. David Moyes was excited for him when I spoke to him on Friday about the German youth international's availability and he is another option in a midfield that started the season with too few. Moyes appears open to playing him out wide, in defence and midfield, while there is a temptation to slot him in the middle and move James Garner to right back.

I would not do that against Spurs. This was the game Jake O’Brien started his long run at right back in last season and his physicality and strength will be useful in both boxes. I am open to changes, just not for this game.

My team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Beto.

Chris Beesley

With Jarrad Branthwaite cruelly facing a prolonged period on the sidelines having undergone an operating after suffering a setback with his hamstring injury, just as he was on the cusp of making a return, there is realistically just one change that David Moyes can make to improve his side against Tottenham Hotspur.

The England international - potentially a generational talent - could have taken the Blues' game up a level as they enter a crucial crossroads in the season, looking to climb back into the upper echelons of the table rather than over their shoulders during what appears to be a closely-fought division so far.

However, after failing to kick a ball in competitive action this term, it looks like Moyes' men are going to be without the Carlisle Kaiser until some unspecified point in 2026. So, in the meantime, an immediate return for loan star Jack Grealish, ineligible to feature against parent club Manchester City last time out, looks to be the obvious change on the left wing where Charly Alcaraz was unable to build upon the promise he shown off the bench in a more central attacking midfield role against Crystal Palace.

Everton's two strikers both continue to labour but at least Beto was getting on the end of chances at the Etihad - something that eludes Thierno Barry - if only to miss them, so he continues to spearhead the attack.

Undoubtedly, there is still a gulf between the top teams and where we are at present, but the road to recovery at Everton was never going to be a quick fix. We are still pressing all the right buttons to try and fast-forward that process.

We want to be compet itive and regularly challenge the best teams in the league. Our aim is to give you supporters belief and good reasons to be positive for the future.

“Absolutely, there's the effort that has to go into the midweek games and the Sundays, or whatever day you're playing.

“It's a huge effort for any club, so it gives us a little bit more time and maybe this year it'll be helpful.

“There is another side to having regular games. There are some players who you can't play often enough and you could give them game time, more often. I think that is helpful. But I'm looking at some of the results last night, I'm looking at Larnaca beating Crystal Palace, Villa against Go Ahead Eagles [Unai Emery’s side lost 2-1 in the Netherlands]. The European games are really tough."

Jarrad's injury had full healed and he was back in full training, but he still felt a bit of discomfort. After seeing a specialist again it was decided the best thing to do was to have a small operation.

We hope he won't be out for too long because obviously he is a hugely important member of our team, and to be without him for such a long period was not what we expected. We wish him well and hope for a speedy recovery.