LIVERPOOL (Reuters) – Cenk Tosun’s header in the eighth minute of stoppage time earned Everton a 1-1 home draw against Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League match overshadowed by a terrible-looking injury to Everton midfielder Andre Gomes yesterday.
Dele Alli’s goal after a mistake by Alex Iwobi just past the hour mark appeared to have ended Tottenham’s long wait for a Premier League away win but a drab match turned sour for both teams.
Spurs were reduced to 10 men in the 79th minute when Son Heung-min’s tackle on Gomes resulted in the Portuguese midfielder suffering what looked to be a bad leg injury.
South Korean forward Son was visibly distraught and held his head in his hands as he realised the extent of the injury to Gomes who was carried off on a stretcher after a lengthy delay.
Tottenham also substituted Serge Aurier, who was also upset by the injury to Gomes.
Twelve minutes of stoppage time were added on, partly because of the Gomes injury and also because of a lengthy VAR check for a possible Everton penalty.
Tottenham survived most of it but Everton rescued a point when substitute Tosun met Lucas Digne’s volleyed cross with a bullet header that flew past Paulo Gazzaniga.
It was a bizarre end to a game and the result did little to lift the gloom around either club.
Tottenham are still without an away league win since January and are in 11th spot, 10 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
Everton are in 17th spot, three points above the drop zone, after only one win in their last seven league matches.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said football was “not important” after the injury to Gomes.
“We feel very sorry, it was a bad situation, bad luck how he landed,” he said. “We can only send our best wishes and of course we are devastated about the situation.
“The feeling changed at that moment. We were playing well and under control but then when they had one more (player) they started to create a little bit more.
“It’s difficult to assess the last 12 minutes.”
‘UNFAIR’
Pochettino said Son’s tackle had not merited a red card and that it should have been checked by VAR.
“It was really unfair,” he said. “Disappointed for the result and many other things that happened in the game.”
A dreadful first half was hardly surprising given the form of both sides. Tottenham looked comfortable in possession but with top striker Harry Kane missing because of illness, they did not really worry Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Everton’s Richarlison had the first attempt on target after 32 minutes and he also forced a sharp save from Gazzaniga after the interval.
It was Tottenham who took the lead though when Iwobi gifted possession to Son who played in Alli. The midfielder cut back inside before shooting low inside the post with his right foot.
Alli was involved in a controversial incident soon afterwards when he challenged in the air and the ball inadvertently seemed to catch his arm.
Referee Martin Atkinson did not award a penalty but a VAR check, lasting around three minutes, kept the whole stadium guessing before it was decided Alli had committed no foul.
Another long delay followed as Son’s stretching tackle on Gomes saw the Portuguese land badly and he collapsed to the ground with his lower right leg bent at a sickening angle.
Confusion reigned with players clearly upset and Son in tears. He was originally shown a yellow card but Atkinson eventually brandished a red.
The remainder of the game became almost incidental until Tosun’s late intervention.
