Home ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE EPL EPL: De Zerbi’s Spurs Get the Job Done Against Everton in Must-Win Clash

EPL: De Zerbi’s Spurs Get the Job Done Against Everton in Must-Win Clash

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Tottenham Vs Everton
De Zerbi’s turnaround continues 

A first-half goal and solid defensive display gave Spurs a vital win. The result piles pressure on Everton and highlights the need for board backing in the summer.


Despite Everton dominating late possession, Spurs’ defensive shape and clinical moment from Palhinha proved enough. All eyes now turn to the board’s transfer plans...


Tottenham handled Everton with ease to confirm their Premier League status. In London, West Ham knew a win over Leeds was needed to keep their survival hopes alive, while Tottenham only needed a draw to stay up after their strong run of form under Roberto De Zerbi.


Not long ago, the Lilywhites looked certain to be relegated following a poor run of results under former manager Igor Tudor.


Only one scenario could still relegate Spurs. Thanks to De Zerbi’s appointment, Tottenham’s renewed fighting spirit, and West Ham’s slump in form over the final games, North London held a clear advantage heading into the last 90 minutes of the 2025/26 season.


The only way Spurs would drop into the Championship was if they lost to Everton and West Ham beat Leeds.


The odds were heavily in De Zerbi’s favor. Leeds came in on an eight-match unbeaten run in the league, while Everton had won just once in their last 16 trips to Tottenham and were winless in their previous four away games.


Spurs had already beaten the Toffees 3-0 at Hill Dickinson Stadium in October. The one concern was that they had not won a league game at home in 2026.


Tottenham Take Control from Kickoff

Tottenham’s attacking intent was obvious from the opening whistle. Richarlison, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Conor Gallagher, Destiny Udogie, Joao Palhinha twice, and Kevin Danso twice all had shots on goal early on.


Mathys Tel created three chances in the first 15 minutes alone. Tottenham held 66% possession in that period, and Jake O’Brien’s yellow card for a tactical foul showed how frustrated Everton were becoming.


David Moyes had said before the match that he would do everything to help West Ham stay up, but his words rang hollow as Everton were pinned back for most of the opening exchanges.


James Garner was the only Toffee able to keep the ball for any length of time. His 94.4% pass completion rate stood out in an otherwise underwhelming performance from the rest of the Everton side.





Palhinha Leads the Charge in Midfield

Spurs came out with real determination, and Joao Palhinha set the tone in central midfield.


He won possession seven times, had three shots on goal which was more than any other Tottenham player in the opening 30 minutes, and won 10 of his 14 one-on-one duels. That work rate was the main reason Everton managed only two blocked shots from Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, plus an off-target header from Thierno Barry.


Udogie and Porro kept pushing forward down both flanks, which stretched Everton and opened up space in the middle. That allowed Gallagher, Tel, and Richarlison to combine for double-digit touches inside the Everton box.


All that pressure was bound to pay off. When Palhinha’s low shot rolled over the line just before half-time, the noise from the stadium likely carried all the way across London.



Everton Fail to Threaten as Spurs Close In on Safety

That goal was Palhinha’s fifth of the campaign and arguably the most important. It also set a new career-high for goals in a single season.


The signs were bad for West Ham. Tottenham hadn’t lost in their last four matches after scoring first, and Everton hadn’t won any of their last six after conceding. If Spurs could hold off any Everton push after half-time, their Premier League safety was secure.


Richarlison managed just five passes in the first half against his former club, which wasn’t enough from Spurs’ top scorer on the day. It was no surprise when De Zerbi brought him off.


With three of Tottenham’s back four completing over 90% of their passes, the hosts looked solid at the back for most of the game. Micky van de Ven stood out as one of the best players on the pitch.


That’s despite Everton holding two-thirds of possession in the final 15 minutes.


In the end, quality took a back seat. For Spurs, only the result mattered.


Board Must Back De Zerbi in the Market

Tottenham got the win they needed, and they did it with relative ease despite the huge pressure on the day. That says a lot about how well De Zerbi has turned things around in N17.


For two seasons now, survival has come too late and too close for comfort. If the club wants to avoid a third relegation fight in a row, the board needs to back the Italian fully in the transfer market, just as Arsenal have done with Mikel Arteta.
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