Everton 2-2 Tottenham: Jarrad Branthwaite steals late equaliser for the Toffees as Richarlison scores brilliant brace against his former side

A theme of Sean Dyche’s first year on Merseyside has seen the Everton boss haunted by the past, mainly in the form of being punished for financial wrongdoings that happened long before he took the hot seat at Goodison Park.

For much of this match, that theme looked set to continue, as former Evertonian Richarlison returned to his old employers to be the scourge of Goodison Park.

With one goal just four minutes into his return and another later, he showed the Toffees just what they were missing.

But instead of being haunted by a blast from the past, Everton were toasting to the man of the future. Jarrad Branthwaite, the defender on the shopping list of many of Europe’s elite this summer, bundled home at the back post to salvage a valuable point for Toffees.

Richarlison looked devestated after he thought he had won the game against his old side

Manager Sean Dyche was extremely animated – alongside the fans – for the duration of the game

It was nothing less than deserved for their efforts at both ends.

Everton have beaten Chelsea and Newcastle at home this season but this draw felt just as seismic, given the timing of the equaliser and the fact it lifted them above Luton and out of the relegation zone.

‘I’m very pleased from top to bottom,’ said Dyche. ‘The way the team took on the work after a late night down at Fulham (on Tuesday). The commitment is evident and some of the quality. We kept our levels extremely high and deserved at least an equaliser if not all three points.’

For much of this match, though, it looked like the former fan favourite Richarlison was going to grab the headlines. He is stating a good case as the Premier League’s most in-form player so far in 2024 with two fine goals to take his tally to nine in his last eight league games.

He opened the scoring with a fine finish with his left foot after decisive passing from Timo Werner and Destiny Udogie on the left flank. Match-winner Branthwaite, and Ben Godfrey, were statuesque as Richarlison foxed his markers by halting his run to find space in the penalty area.

It was the sort of prolific goal-scoring that has been missing in these parts since his departure 18 months ago. Everton scored fewer goals than all but one team last term and that profligacy has continued this year, with Dyche’s men often creating a mass of chances but not scoring.

None of that is helped by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s famine in front of goal, a drought dating back to October. The striker thought he had scored here – as did the stadium announcer and pretty much everyone at Goodison Park.

It came after Everton’s clear game-plan to target goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario with flat set-pieces paid off. Whether Dwight McNeil from one side or James Garner from the other, Everton continuously fizzed crosses right down Vicario’s throat.

Branthwaite latched onto the end of a header from Cristian Romero to nod home  

Richarlison was excellent against his old side and scored a stunner from outside the box

The Brazilian did not want to celebrate against his old side and looked to have mixed emotions

Everton equalised after Richarlison’s opener through a deflected goal from Jack Harrison

Richarlison opened the scoring for the visitors inside four minutes at Goodison Park

Dyche and his coaching team might have been inspired by watching ITV last Friday, when Manchester City also targeted Vicario and Nathan Ake scored a late winner from a corner. One finally paid off as Everton equalised on the half-hour mark.

Calvert-Lewin’s relief at finally breaking his duck was clear to see but that smile was soon wiped off his face as his old mate Richarlison put Spurs back ahead with a curling effort from distance after nice footwork from Werner and James Maddison.

To rub salt further into his wounds of Calvert-Lewin, the Premier League later took the goal away from him and awarded it to Jack Harrison. The fact that Calvert-Lewin was being denied by the decision of a computer had only a hint of irony given Dyche’s anger at VAR this season.

Everton are the only side in the Premier League not to be awarded a penalty this season and Dyche was later shown a yellow card for protesting an alleged foul on Beto that was waved away by referee Michael Oliver.

He was later thankful to VAR, though, when the lanky frame of Branthwaite latched on the edge of a set-piece – aided by Cristian Romero’s skewed headed clearance – to head home at the back post. After VAR got the rulers and pencils out, they said there was no offside.

It sent Goodison Park into a frenzy, with captain Seamus Coleman leading the celebrations in running to the Park End in a jubilant mood when VAR awarded the goal. For Spurs, Ange Postecoglou was left furious at being undone by two set-pieces. 

The former Everton striker pleaded with the fans to accept his respect after scoring

Everton fans held up banners which said ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ to the Premier League

Goodison Park was extremely lively for the entirety of the game with the fans screaming throughout

‘The nature of it, conceding so late, doesn’t give us the chance to wrestle it back,’ said the Australian, in an unusually gloomy and depressed mood. ‘We just have to accept that. We needed a third to kill the game off.’

Everton know that their exploits on the pitch are only half of the story this season and any successes will be equally aided in the courts, with Laurence Rabinowitz KC up in the stands at Goodison here. He is the super silk lawyer leading their appeal against a 10-point deduction.

Nothing super or silky from Everton in this match, or Tottenham for that matter despite a decent first half. But the giant grin of Dyche compared to the gloom on Postecoglou’s face painted the story – this was a seismic point for the Toffees and a huge chance blown for Spurs.