4-0 v Everton FC - 24 August 2024 - Home

Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham comfortably brushed aside a lacklustre Everton side to notch up their first Premier League win of the season.

Tottenham peppered the Everton goal straight from kick-off and their early intensity was quickly rewarded.

A stylish move on the edge of the box culminated in Dejan Kulusevski cutting inside to tee up Yves Bissouma, whose crisp shot struck the underside of the crossbar on its way into the net.

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was punished for dawdling on the ball shortly afterwards when Son stole it off the England number one and slotted into a vacant goal.

Cristian Romero headed in Tottenham's third from a corner after the break when he outmuscled James Tarkowski and Michael Keane to head in James Maddison's pinpoint inswinger.

Spurs skipper Son put the gloss on the result 13 minutes from time with a low angled finish through Pickford's legs after Micky van de Ven's enterprising run from one penalty box to the other.

Everton rarely threatened with a shot from Jesper Lindstrom, well saved by Guglielmo Vicario, a fleeting moment of attacking intent.

Son's double will grab much of the attention, but the intriguing subplot to this game involved Bissouma.

The Mali midfielder was given a ticking off, and a one-match club ban, for posting a video of himself inhaling laughing gas just over a week ago.

Possession of nitrous oxide - also known as laughing gas or NOS - for recreational use has been a criminal offence in the United Kingdom since 2023 and can result in a two-year prison sentence.

Ange Postecoglou wanted Bissouma to battle for "redemption" after the faux pas but acknowledged the "door closes" if he continued to transgress.

With Rodrigo Bentancur out injured it was still a slight surprise to see Bissouma's name on the team sheet so soon after the incident.

Postecoglou's clemency, however, garnered a disciplined midfield display from Bissouma who scored his first Tottenham goal in his 52nd Premier League appearance for the club.

Bissouma ran to the corner flag in celebration and pointed both his index fingers at the side of his temples. He then clasped his hands together and bowed.

The inference being, perhaps, there was a renewed focus and a plea for forgiveness.

Postecoglou's paternal approach with a smart piece of man-management appears to have produced the right reaction and set Bissouma on the correct path.

"It's a good start. He's still got work to do," said the Spurs boss.

"I'm not doubting his footballing quality. We want to make him the best version of himself. That starts off the field as much as on it."

Sean Dyche has swapped his usual touchline attire of suit and tie for an Everton tracksuit this season.

Yet if the Toffees boss had hoped a fresh sartorial approach might have prompted a change of fortunes, he can think again.

A miserable 3-0 defeat by Brighton in their opening game of the season could be passed off as blip.

Early season results, after all, can be freakish.

The manner of this drubbing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will set the alarm bells ringing for Everton fans, who scurried for the Seven Sisters Road long before the full-time whistle went.

There is the unerring sense that the die for the Blues has already been cast and another glum season of relegation toil awaits.

Dyche bemoaned the lack of options available to him before this fixture.

With the exception of debutant Ramon Dixon, however, it was a familiar Everton backline that had more holes in it than a block of Swiss cheese.

The only caveat is that Everton have been slow starters in recent years - they haven’t won a top-flight game in the month of August in any of the past three seasons - so this will not exactly be unfamiliar territory.

Dyche and his players will need a pick-me-up against Bournemouth next Saturday on the final day of the month.