Tottenham's 1-0 win over Everton was decided by João Palhinha, but the ratings added a wrinkle. Palhinha posted the match-highest 8/10 after scoring in the 43rd minute, while James Garner finished with the best individual mark in the match pack at 7.7.

The result was tight, and the numbers reflect that. Kevin Danso was rated 8/10 by Goal and described as dominant against Barry, while Pedro Porro matched Garner on 7.7. Antonín Kinský was relatively quiet until a late stop on Tyrique George's stoppage-time effort.

How Palhinha won it

Palhinha's goal was not a clean first-time finish. His initial headed effort came back off the post before he forced the ball over the line, and the timing made it decisive for Tottenham in the 43rd minute. Goal's match reporter said: "Palhinha managed to force the ball over the line after his initial headed effort came back off the post."

That matters because it fits the pattern of the performance, not just the scoreline. Palhinha's 8/10 was the highest rating in the game, and it came from a match where he did the decisive work in front of goal while Kevin Danso did plenty of the ugly stuff behind him.

Why Everton's ratings were flatter

Everton did not get enough from the game to turn the ratings in their favour. James Garner's 7.7 was their best mark, but the team still ended the season without a win in their final seven matches.

Tyrique George's late effort forced a spectacular save from Antonín Kinský, but that was the nearest Everton came to changing the mood. The match copy from the Liverpool Echo said there was "huge relief" when Palhinha put Tottenham ahead at the second attempt after being left unmarked by Merlin Röhl, and that [Roberto De Zerbi] stayed in plain text only.

The cleanest reading is that Palhinha deserved the headline rating, Garner was Everton's best performer, and Danso gave Tottenham the defensive base they needed. The final-day result was narrow, but the player ratings were not especially hard to interpret.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →