Andre Gomes ankle injury overshadows Everton draw vs. Spurs

Cenk Tosun's stoppage-time header earned Everton a 1-1 home draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday in a match overshadowed by a frightful injury to Everton midfielder Andre Gomes.

Dele Alli's goal just past the hour mark appeared to have ended Tottenham's long wait for a Premier League away win.

Spurs were reduced to 10 men in the 79th minute when Son Heung-Min's tackle from behind on Gomes resulted in the Portuguese midfielder suffering what the club later confirmed as a fracture dislocation to his right ankle.

South Korean forward Son looked distraught as he realised the extent of the injury to Gomes who was carried off on a stretcher after a lengthy delay.

"I didn't want to look too much at what happened," Alli told Sky Sports when addressing Gomes' ugly injury. "I want to send [my] best wishes.

"Son is devastated and in tears. It's not his fault. Son is one of nicest people you've ever met. He can't even lift his head up, he's crying so much.

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"The injury does play on your mind, but you have to stay professional. We switched off for a second and they scored."

Everton issued a statement after the match indicating that Gomes will undergo surgery on his ankle on Monday, Nov. 4.

"Everton Football Club can confirm Andre Gomes will undergo surgery tomorrow after sustaining an ankle injury in today's game with Tottenham Hotspur," the statement read.

"The Portugal international was stretchered from the pitch during the second half of the game and taken straight to Aintree Hospital by ambulance accompanied by members of the Everton medical team. After undergoing hospital tests, it was confirmed he had suffered a fracture dislocation to his right ankle."

Tottenham also substituted Serge Aurier, who was also upset by the injury to Gomes.

Twelve minutes of stoppage time were added on, partly because of the Gomes injury and also because of a lengthy VAR check for a possible Everton penalty.

Tottenham survived most of it, but Everton rescued a point when substitute Tosun met Lucas Digne's volleyed cross with a bullet header that flew past Paulo Gazzaniga.

It was a bizarre end to a game, and the result did little to lift the gloom around either club.

Tottenham are still without an away league win since January and are in 11th spot, 10 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

Everton are in 17th spot, three points above the drop zone, after only one win in their last seven league matches.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said football was "not important" after the injury to Gomes.

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"We feel very sorry. It was a bad situation, bad luck how he landed," he said. "We can only send our best wishes, and of course we are devastated about the situation.

"The feeling changed at that moment. We were playing well and under control, but then when they had one more [player] they started to create a little bit more.

"It's difficult to assess the last 12 minutes."

Pochettino said Son's tackle had not merited a red card and that it should have been checked by VAR.

"It was really unfair," he said. "Disappointed for the result and many other things that happened in the game."

A dreadful first half was hardly surprising given the form of both sides. Tottenham looked comfortable in possession, but with top striker Harry Kane missing because of illness they did not really worry Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

Everton's Richarlison had the first attempt on target after 32 minutes, and he also forced a sharp save from Gazzaniga after the interval.

It was Tottenham who took the lead though when Alex Iwobi gifted possession to Son who played in Alli. The midfielder cut back inside before shooting low inside the post with his right foot.

Alli was involved in a controversial incident soon afterward when he challenged in the air and the ball inadvertently seemed to catch his arm.

Referee Martin Atkinson did not award a penalty, but a VAR check, lasting around three minutes, kept the whole stadium guessing before it was decided Alli had committed no foul.

Another long delay followed after Son's stretching tackle on Gomes.

Confusion reigned with players clearly upset and Son in tears. He was originally shown a yellow card, but Atkinson eventually brandished a red.

The remainder of the game became almost incidental until Tosun's late intervention.