The anticipation of Antonio Conte’s first Premier League game in charge of Spurs proved more captivating than the reality, though an education for the new manager all the same. It is 227 minutes and counting without a shot on target in the Premier League for a team containing Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura. The heart on display appeased their new manager; the creativity remains an obvious work in progress.
Everton had the edge in a feisty draw high on incident but low on quality. Rafael Benítez’s team had a strong penalty awarded and then overturned after a review and Mason Holgate sent off for serious foul play eight minutes after his introduction, also after a pitchside review by the referee, Christopher Kavanagh. Their performance was a marked improvement on recent efforts and, despite surviving a scare when Giovani Lo Celso struck a post in the 88th minute, they comfortably contained a Spurs team that has failed to register a shot on target in two consecutive Premier League games. That is the first time they have drawn such an extended blank since the data was introduced in 2003-04.
