Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton: Spurs Seek First League Win
Tottenham Hotspur return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday with something they did not expect to be chasing this deep into September: their first Premier League win of the season.
Three games, one point, no victories. Roberto De Zerbi’s side sit 18th, and the table already makes uncomfortable reading. The bigger worry lurks beneath the surface, though. Fail to score again and Spurs will stand on the brink of an unwanted piece of history.
Goal-shy Spurs walking a tightrope
Tottenham have taken just a single point from their opening three league fixtures, and last weekend’s goalless draw away at Forest only cranked up the tension. A repeat scoreline against Everton would leave them without a goal in four straight Premier League matches for the first time in the club’s history.
For a side built to attack, that statistic hangs heavy.
Their home form has hardly offered comfort. Across their last 12 top-flight games in N17, Spurs have managed just one win and one clean sheet. Both came against Everton. That lone bright spot is the thread De Zerbi and his players will try to tug on again.
The setting will be familiar. The stakes feel very different.
Team news: Maddison a doubt, Mudryk sidelined again
De Zerbi’s preparations have been shaped by a growing injury list in key attacking areas.
James Maddison, who hurt his shoulder in the opening-day defeat to Brentford, trained before the Forest game but did not make the squad. He remains a doubt, his creativity and set-piece threat still sorely missed between the lines.
Out wide, the options are even thinner. Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are all still working their way back from knee injuries, leaving Spurs short of natural width and variety in the final third.
Mykhaylo Mudryk’s brief return only underlined the frustration. The winger made his first competitive appearance in more than 600 days against Forest, a long-awaited step back onto the big stage. He has since suffered a new ankle injury that will rule him out for six to eight weeks, halting his comeback almost as soon as it began.
Those absences leave De Zerbi with little room to manoeuvre. The plan, for now, is continuity.
Savio is expected to keep his place on one flank, with Mathys Tel on the other, both asked to stretch the pitch and provide the spark Spurs have lacked. Through the middle, Mohammed Kudus is being eased back into action after his own lengthy spell out, gradually increasing his minutes as he rebuilds sharpness.
Predicted Tottenham lineup
Barring late surprises, Spurs are likely to stick with a 4-2-3-1 setup:
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting XI (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Robertson; Tonali, Bentancur; Savio, Fernandes, Tel; Solanke.
That spine, on paper, has enough control and quality to drag Spurs up the table. The question is whether it can finally turn possession into goals.
Kick-off time and TV details
The Premier League clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton kicks off at 17:30 on Saturday, 12 September 2026.
The game will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event.
Spurs have the stage, the crowd and the recent head-to-head record on their side. What they do not have yet is a league win – or a functioning attack. That has to change, and quickly, or this season risks drifting into a struggle no one at the club planned for.
