Captain Micky van de Ven inspired Tottenham Hotspur to a commanding 3-0 victory over Everton, ending the Toffees’ unbeaten run at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium and propelling Spurs up to third place in the Premier League.
The Dutch defender led by example, scoring twice from corners in the first half to punish Everton’s poor set-piece defending.
Remarkably, both goals came from routine situations in which David Moyes’ men, who had not conceded from a corner all season, completely switched off.
Spurs manager Thomas Frank handed on-loan Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani his first start, but it was Van de Ven who stole the spotlight.
His brace not only gave Tottenham control of the contest but also took his tally to five league goals, an astonishing return for a player who failed to find the net last season.
Everton began brightly and could have taken an early lead when Iliman Ndiaye’s cross found Jack Grealish, only for Pedro Porro to make a crucial block on the line.
The hosts looked lively on both wings through Ndiaye and Grealish, but a lack of precision in front of goal once again proved costly.
Spurs broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when Mohammed Kudus’ corner was flicked on by Rodrigo Bentancur’s shoulder, allowing Van de Ven to nod home from close range.
Everton thought they had levelled moments later through Jake O’Brien’s header, but VAR ruled that Ndiaye and Grealish, both standing in offside positions, had obstructed goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario’s view.
Just before halftime, Van de Ven struck again, this time ghosting between Everton’s defenders to head home Bentancur’s corner and put the visitors firmly in control.
Despite Everton’s dominance in possession after the break, Vicario stood firm, producing fine saves to deny Beto’s overhead kick and Ndiaye’s deflected drive.
Jordan Pickford also kept the scoreline respectable by stopping former Everton man Richarlison late on, but he was helpless when Pape Sarr added a third with a close-range header in the 89th minute after a clever assist from Richarlison.
Tottenham’s clinical set-piece play and defensive discipline earned them 13 points from a possible 15 away from home, form that has fueled their steady climb within five points of league leaders Arsenal. Everton, meanwhile, were left ruing wasted chances and their first home defeat at their new ground.
