The Dugout Discussion – Tottenham vs Everton

Having relinquished leads in their last two league ties, Tottenham Hotspur chase a morale-boosting victory over Everton on home turf in today’s tea-time encounter. The Toffees, meanwhile, were outclassed by a superior Manchester City side but will take heart from their dominance over Southampton in a 3-0 win on their first road trip.

Spurs rank sixth for shots inside the box (27) and big chances (six) this season but suffer from a poor shot conversion rate (7.3%). Of more concern to Mauricio Pochettino, his troops still haven’t discovered that optimum balance between attack and defence, given that they rank joint-fourth with regards to big chances conceded (six).

Despite netting five goals this term, Everton have chalked up just ten shots on target, so there’s certainly scope for the Merseysiders to improve on the attacking front. On the flipside, they’ve only conceded two big chances against Watford, Saints and Man City, which suggests Spurs’ forward line are in for a challenging contest.