Tottenham lose victory in injury time

Twice leading thanks to Richarlison's double, Tottenham were still held to a 2-2 draw by Everton in round 23 of the Premier League.

Back at Goodison Park to face his former club, Richarlison put Tottenham ahead in the fourth minute. He positioned himself well to meet Destiny Udogie's cross, before confidently finishing with a left-footed shot into the top corner, leaving Jordan Pickford unable to reach the ball. After Everton had levelled at 1-1, the Brazilian striker shone again with a classy curler from outside the box to give the visitors the lead at half-time.

Jordan Pickford blocks Richarlison's second-half shot. Photo: PA

After both goals, Richarlison did not share the joy. He even showed respect to his former team by placing his hand on his chest, facing the Everton fans. The 26-year-old striker has scored nine goals in the last eight Premier League rounds. In the context of Son Heung-min's absence due to the Asian Cup, he replaced his teammate, becoming the main striker of the North London team. The goal to make it 2-1 also showed the understanding between Richarlison and James Maddison, a player who has just returned from injury and plays an important role in Tottenham's play.

Richarlison's brilliance, however, was not enough to earn Tottenham all three points. After missing several chances to create a safe gap, the visitors faced a difficult final few minutes as Everton pressed for an equaliser. In the end, Tottenham could not hold on. Cristian Romero's poor header was turned into a pass for Jarrad Branthwaite to finish close range to secure a point for Everton.

This was a valuable draw for Sean Dyche's team. It helped them escape the relegation zone with 19 points, equal with Luton but with a better goal difference. Everton had been deducted 10 points by the Premier League for breaching financial fair play rules. Many home fans came to the stadium with yellow placards to protest this. They put pressure on referee Michael Oliver's decisions at the end of the match and contributed to the home team's points.

Ange Postecoglou has received many compliments from British football experts for bringing a new look to Tottenham. The team under the Australian coach continued to demonstrate that with eye-catching attacking play. They had 56% possession, launched six shots on target, including many clear scoring opportunities.

However, this will probably be one of the matches that will give Postecoglou a taste of the harshness of the Premier League. Tottenham failed to neutralize their opponents' set pieces - Everton manager Sean Dyche's signature tactic. Their first goal came from a corner, while the second came from a late free-kick, as Everton pushed high in search of an equaliser.

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