FA Cup: Everton and Tottenham Go for the Knockout in Goodison Park

FA Cup: Everton and Tottenham Go for the Knockout in Goodison Park

Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur

The fifth round of the FA Cup will feature an exciting clash as Everton host Tottenham at the Goodison Park on Wednesday night.

With the Premier League trophy unlikely to fall into their hands at this point of the season despite their hot starts, both of them will now turn their focus to winning this one as the perfect consolation.

The Toffees recently dispatched Championship teams Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday in the previous rounds, while the Spurs defeated a non-league side in Marine and Championship strugglers Wycombe Wanderers.

This game will mark the second time that these two will face off this season, and Everton are optimistic that they’ll have a replay on their earlier win over Tottenham last September.

Given that neither have won the Cup since the 1990’s, this fixture will be filled with intense action and drama.

Talking Points

A tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde between Everton’s two strikers

The Toffees’ confidence couldn’t be any higher after coming from behind against the Red Devils, but can they carry their momentum in this midweek contest?

For them to advance into the quarterfinals, Everton are hoping that Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison will both click against the Spurs.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been in superb form for the Toffees this season as he has punched in 17 goals in all competitions.

His emergence from the ranks has earned for himself a place in the English national squad, to which he has scored twice already.

He was also the one who put a massive dent to Manchester United’s Premier League title hopes via a late equaliser, and he will fancy his chances of breaching a porous Tottenham defence that has failed to keep a clean sheet in six of their last seven matches.

Meanwhile, Richarlison will be eager to break out of his personal slump.

The Brazilian international offers searing pace and creativity out front, although his last goal dates back to their previous win against Sheffield Wednesday.

With James Rodriguez and Allan doubtful to play, Richarlison should use this chance to re-assert himself as one of Everton’s top dogs.

Harry Kane is Tottenham’s missing piece

The return of Harry Kane was a shot in the arm for the Spurs and they are hopeful that they’ll gather more wins along the way.

The striker had not been in the lineup since their defeat to Liverpool last January and his absence coincided with Tottenham’s three-game losing streak.

In their win against West Brom last weekend, Kane showed the Spurs what they were missing as he gave them the lead for good with a goal in the second half.

After that solid display, Kane is expected to feature once more on Wednesday, although it’s a possibility that he may come off the bench.

Mourinho should probably do so to err on the side of caution, giving Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg and Harry Winks more minutes since Dele Alli and Giovanni Lo Celso are sidelined.

History

This Wednesday will mark the 181^st time that these two clubs will go at it. It will be their first FA Cup meeting since the 1995 semifinals.

In a total of 180 matches played in all competitions, Tottenham own the edge with 68 wins while Everton managed to win 56 times along with 56 draws.

Everton and Tottenham are both looking to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in a long while.

The Toffees’ last quarterfinals stint was back in the 2016 season, and since then they have lost their last four ties against Premier League opponents.

The Spurs don’t have much luck either as they’ve lost 10 of their last 15 ties against fellow Premier League teams. Last season, they were eliminated at this stage by Norwich.

Betting Tip

Over 2.50 @ 2.28

The FA Cup 2021 odds point to a thrilling encounter since neither team are really favoured over the other to win.

In the 1X2 market, Everton and Tottenham are closely priced at 2.60 and 2.69 respectively, while chances for a draw are not far behind at 3.10.

Given the number of quality forwards and playmakers present in this contest, I am looking forward to a high-scoring affair. Hence, my recommendation is going for Over 2.50 @ 2.28.

This one has the potential to go to as far as the penalty shootout and the result can go either way.

Do check out your FA Cup 2021 updates here at SBOTOP as we will also cover the matches between Manchester United and West Ham United, as well as Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion.

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