'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has backed Tottenham Hotspur to beat Everton at Goodison Park in their Premier League clash on Saturday, February 3.
Spurs have won five of their last seven league games, losing one and drawing the other. They come into the game on the back of a 3-2 win over Brentford at home. They are fourth in the Premier League standings.
Meanwhile, Everton are 18th and are winless in their last five league games. They have kept the joint-highest number of clean sheets (8) but have scored just 24 goals in 22 games. The Toffees come into the game on the back of a goalless draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
In his column for Paddy Power, Lawrenson predicted Everton's winless streak to continue, writing:
"It was as really good 3-2 win for Tottenham against Brentford during the week and they have to be the most entertaining team in the league. Entertaining means that they sometimes concede and they got it all wrong for a while on Wednesday but they create so many chances.
"Everton had a 0-0 against Fulham last time out which was pretty dull. I fancy Spurs here."
Prediction: 1-2
The reverse fixture also ended in a 2-1 win for Spurs on December 23. Richarlison and Son Heung-min gave them an early lead but Everton got one back with Andre Gomes' strike.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou on Richarlison ahead of Everton clash
Richarlison is set to return to Goodison Park for the first time since leaving Everton to join Tottenham in the summer of 2022. He was unavailable for their 1-1 draw last season.
Richarlison spent four years at Everton, registering 53 goals and 14 assists in 152 assists. He scored against the Toffees earlier this season and refused to celebrate as well.
Ahead of the visit to the Goodison, Ange Postecoglou spoke about Richarlison's importance and improvement, saying (via Spurs' official website):
“Richy is going well, and it’s not just his goals, it’s his general game as well, which is improving, evolving, he’s become a real catalyst for a lot of our good stuff both with and without the ball. It’s good, he’s in a good place and we have to keep pushing Richy because I think there’s more in him.”
Richarlison had a poor start to life at Tottenham since his reported £60 million move but has been brilliant since his groin surgery in November 2023. He has scored seven goals in the last seven Premier League games and is the highest-scoring Brazilian in Europe's top five leagues (8) this season.
