Spurs 1 - 3 Everton

Three goals in an end-to-end first half gave a typically hardworking Everton a victory which sends them top of the league. It took only 2 minutes before Joleon Lescott headed home an Arteta free-kick to give Everton the lead.

Spurs responded well however and soon dominated the game leaving Everton to feed on scraps on the break as the tempo of the game became increasingly hectic. Robbie Keane gave Spurs the width they missed on Saturday, playing energetically down the right hand side. 25 minutes in Spurs’ pressure earned them an equaliser in the shape of Anthony Gardner’s headed finish from Jenas’ corner.

One could easily have expected the home side to go on and build from there but Everton were the team in the ascendancy for the remainder of the half. Mikel Arteta controlled the play masterfully earning several free kicks form an increasingly frustrated Spurs. It was his right-footed cross into the box which lead to Everton taking the lead again on 36 minutes. Leon Osman controlled Rocha’s clearance and finished well past a floundering Paul Robinson.

Spurs never really got going again from there on in and were two behind in fist-half injury time. Alan Stubbs smashing a free kick in from 25 yards with the aid of a deflection that left the Spurs keeper wrong-footed.

The second-half had less of an FA Cup tie feel to it with Everton happy to sit back and soak up the pressure. Spurs made it easy for them however, adopting a diamond midfield which meant Everton went man-to-man in the middle of the park. Spurs did offer some hope to their fans with a lively opening 5 minutes with Keane making Howard stretch and Berbatov hitting the post with an excellent header.

Only some good goalkeeping at both ends kept the second half scoreless but Spurs never really got the bit between their teeth. Their frontline of Bent/Defoe, Berbatov and Keane never had the mobility or the ingenuity to unlock a solid Everton defence. With the likes of Osman, Arteta and Johnson, Everton probed on the counter-attack and didn’t allow Spurs to get on the front foot.

Overall, Everton were their usual robust selves and with the aid of a bit of luck got a deserved win over a poor Spurs whose fans must be desperate for the return of their injured stars.

Man of the Match:Andy Johnson – A constant threat on the break offering Everton an outlet to build from