Everton dropped further points at home in a four-goal affair with Tottenham.

Harry Kane broke the deadlock on 28 minutes when Michael Keane’s deflected header fell for him unmarked to volley past Jordan Pickford.

But the Blues struck back almost instantly after Sergio Reguilon conceded a penalty by fouling James Rodriguez, allowing Gylfi Sigurdsson to dispatch.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side took the lead shortly after the hour mark through Sigurdsson rounding off a fluid move to side-foot the ball from close range.

However another mistake by Keane, heading a clearance directly into Mason Holgate, allowed the ball to break for Kane, who pulled the visitors level.

Here were the key talking points from Goodison Park:

Rodriguez in a class of his own

 

In spite of this result, it heralded a return to form for James Rodriguez.

Since being passed fit earlier this month, the Colombia international has visibly struggled to recapture his trademark creativity in an Everton shirt.

But every time Rodriguez was in possession here, he provided a genuine influence on proceedings with an array of defence-splitting passes.

These are the performances for which the 29-year-old was signed. Unfortunately those in receipt of his tee-ups failed to make them count.

Had Richarlison’s finishing been more refined, his fellow South American would have finished this game with a handful of assists to his name.

Rodriguez’s resurgence may arrive too late to salvage the Blues’ European hopes but it was always going to be with teammates unable to rival his star.

Not for the first time this season, he really is in a class of his own.

Keane’s blunders turn the tide

 

Gareth Southgate should be worried about events at Goodison Park on Friday as one of England’s best Euro 2020 hopes suffered a damaging setback.

Yet it was not Harry Kane’s withdrawal through injury which was the more concerning aspect for the national team coach in light of the four-goal affair.

Michael Keane’s omission from the Three Lions’ most recent squad appeared harsh but hindsight suggests that Southgate’s ruthlessness was justified.

Poor judgement gifted Tottenham their two goals; first with a weak flick-on that allowed Kane to pounce before a comedy of errors after the interval.

Many would struggle to find a worse example of defending this season than Keane heading a clearance into centre-back cohort Mason Holgate’s back.

Kane could not have asked for a better opportunity to draw the visitors level as the ball broke to him from an unfortunate yet entirely avoidable deflection.

Southgate will continue to reserve judgement on his final 23-man squad for this summer’s finals but Keane did himself no favours with this display.

Blues are still hapless at home

 

For a time, the omens appeared to be standing in Everton’s favour with Gylfi Sigurdsson’s brace marking a rare statistic in their miserable home form.

Not since overcoming Spurs’ local rivals Arsenal before Christmas had Carlo Ancelotti’s side scored more than once in the Premier League on home soil.

Ultimately, though, an all-too-familiar tale played out for the Toffees.

If, as appears likely, their quest for a return to continental football falls short late next month then these games at Goodison will be an overriding factor.

One win in their last six top-flight matches is damning enough but made worse by that solitary victory arriving on the road at a struggling West Brom.

It is a predicament which cannot be blamed on the absence of fans when Everton were blowing away teams at will either side of their December return.

Whatever conclusions Ancelotti draws ahead of the new campaign, arresting this hapless sequence at the Grand Old Lady next term must be a priority.

There’s something about Sigurdsson

 

Perhaps it should not come as a surprise that Sigurdsson excelled against Spurs on the back of a two-year stint there where he made 83 appearances.

The Icelandic playmaker dominated proceedings in February’s thrilling FA Cup fifth round encounter with his one-time employers, for good as well as ill.

Sigurdsson must have sensed deja-vu watching Keane handing Kane two easy goals on a platter in the same way that he had done with Davinson Sanchez.

This time, however, the 31-year-old’s attacking qualities shone through as he comfortably dispatched the penalty after Sergio Reguilon fouled Rodriguez.

His movement to put Everton in the lead, meeting Seamus Coleman’s cross at the byline with a well-taken finish from close range was similarly impressive.

Proof that you should never underestimate a player facing his former club.