Van de Ven Brace Ends Everton's Unbeaten Streak at Brand New Stadium

Micky van de Ven celebrating

Micky van de Ven became the initial backline player to score two goals in a Premier League match for Tottenham since Jan Vertonghen in spring 2013.

Key points

  • The Spurs defender nods into the net twice in first half

  • The home side's defender has equalizer disallowed after VAR review

  • Pape Matar Sarr nets final goal in dying moments

  • The defeat is Everton's first at Hill Dickinson Stadium

The Tottenham defender found the net twice as Tottenham prolonged their unbeaten run in away games in the Premier League and delivered Everton their initial loss at their new home.

Everton were unbeaten in their five previous fixtures at their recently opened stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, having departed Goodison Park behind after 133 years at the end of the previous campaign.

But Spurs captain the Dutchman pounced twice from corners in the first half to place their strong form at jeopardy, and they were unable to mount a comeback before Pape Matar Sarr - assisted by former Toffees attacker Richarlison - nodded in a third to put the game to bed.

Jake O'Brien believed he had equalized the tally five minutes after the defender's first goal, directing a bullet header past the Spurs keeper from an Everton corner.

Beto, meanwhile, missed a handful of opportunities, while Vicario made a series of fine stops to ensure Tottenham went five matches on the road unbeaten in the English top flight.

But the VAR intervened, instructing the match official to check the score on the pitchside monitor and the referee decided that Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye were in an illegal position and had interfered with the Spurs keeper.

This victory moves Thomas Frank's team up to third in the division, five points off local foes and table-toppers Arsenal.

The Merseyside club remain 14th and sit half a dozen points ahead of the relegation zone.

Tottenham analysis: The defender excels in role at each end of pitch

Following a drab midweek performance in the European competition against the French side, where they mustered a only two shots on target, Frank opted for the French striker in attack instead of former Toffees player Richarlison.

The new arrival was failed to make much of an impact before being replaced for the substitute after an hour on the field, but it emerged he wasn't needed in the end.

Defender the Dutchman converted into an offensive threat to be reckoned with.

Tottenham's opening strike came from a cleverly executed set-piece play, with the midfielder heading the ball toward the six-yard box for an unmarked the defender to score.

And Ven de Ven - stepping up as captain in Cristian Romero's unavailability - notched his next goal in added time as he outjumped Jordan Pickford to nod in.

Van de Ven was equally outstanding in defence, partnering effectively with Kevin Danso as the pair dealt excellently with the numerous deliveries thrown their way by the opposition.

Everton analysis: Toffees lacking finishing touch

The club's new home had been a happy hunting ground, but it appears the freshness may have faded somewhat and fans headed to the exits after the midfielder's third for Spurs.

The end in Everton's unbeaten home run won't be a major concern for David Moyes, but their attacking woes will be.

Beto and Thierno Barry - the Everton's pair of recognised centre-forwards - had scored only a single goal combined before the weekend's match.

And they were failed to contribute to that poor tally on a damp and dreary evening on in Liverpool.

The striker's form was epitomized when he chose to overhead kick a clear chance from near the goal, despite having space and time to readjust for a more conventional attempt that would have tested Vicario.

The substitute, too, failed to influence the game after coming on for the starter in the 65th minute.

It wasn't for a lack of chance. The majority of the home side's offensive moves came through Grealish and the forward, who relentlessly delivered dangerous crosses into the Spurs penalty area.

What next for these two sides?

The Toffees: The team head to the Stadium of Light in the Premier League on early November at 20:00 GMT.

Tottenham: The London club travel to St James' Park on late October for their next round League Cup match against Newcastle.

April Hansen
April Hansen

A tech enthusiast and digital strategist with over a decade of experience in analyzing emerging technologies and their impact on society.