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Tottenham 2-0 Everton

The nightmare scenario of falling from the Champions League to the Championship within nine months remains a worryingly realistic prospect for Everton after Tottenham inflicted their latest defeat at White Hart Lane.

David Moyes' side, who confounded all expectations to finish fourth last season, huffed and puffed without reward in front of goal for the seventh time in eight league defeats as they went down 2-0.

They remain rooted to the bottom of the table, with morale ebbing away, after first Mido and then even Jermaine Jenas rose unchallenged to head two goals in the space of five second-half minutes past Nigel Martyn.

For a side so toothless in attack, that was it as Paul Robinson produced a sparkling save on his 26th birthday to deny Duncan Ferguson moments after his arrival as a substitute.

• Jol pleased with Jenas
However, Everton could only have themselves to blame for their predicament, with Joseph Yobo's wild pass having conceded possession to the home side in the build-up to their first goal.

Spurs, meanwhile, with an exciting young talent in England Under-21 winger Aaron Lennon once again impressing on the right flank, continue their promising start to the campaign.

Everton had even made the brighter start, with Marcus Bent firing one shot wide on the turn and James McFadden's determined burst ending in a block by Robinson.

However, that finally brought Tottenham to life, with the pacy Lennon, fresh from impressing for the England Under-21s, providing the inspiration as he delivered an inviting cross for Michael Dawson.

The centre-back's header was powerfully directed towards goal, but Martyn produced a fine save before Kevin Kilbane hooked the loose ball clear just as Mido was poised to pounce.

Tottenham also launched a raid down the left flank, which ended in Lee Young-Pyo going sprawling to the ground after being tackled inside the penalty area by Matteo Ferrari, but no spot-kick was given.

Spurs' pressure increased marginally, with Michael Carrick's pinpoint delivery from corners causing consternation to the Everton defence as Dawson again came close to handing them the lead.

His header from Carrick's corner nevertheless struck Nuno Valente, who was standing next to the right-hand upright, and the loose ball was immediately hacked clear to safety.

Not that either side was exactly producing a technical masterclass, but still the half-chances came and went, with Kilbane's shot blocked by Jenas, who also dribbled an effort into Martyn's arms.

Everton started the second half relatively brightly, albeit without managing to pose any serious threat to the Tottenham goal as McFadden thrashed a shot wildly over the bar.

And having failed to heed a clear warning, when Jermain Defoe's shot from a tight angle was parried by Martyn, Everton pressed the self-destruct button after 57 minutes.

Yobo had all the time in world to start a move inside his own half, but instead sprayed a wild pass back to Tottenham, leaving Moyes holding his head in his hands in frustration.

The Everton boss' worst fears were immediately realised as Tottenham took full advantage, with Jenas chipping a cross for Mido to rise above the hapless Yobo and head powerfully into the net.

Given that Everton had failed to score in six of their previous seven league games this season - with only Bent on target in their 1-0 win against Bolton - the visitors were clearly up against it.

James Beattie, whose season has been plagued by injury problems, may have been on the bench along with Ferguson, but Tottenham were further ahead before either of them could be introduced.

Defoe sped onto Mido's knock-down through the left-hand channel and his cross was teed up invitingly for Jenas to head past Martyn with 28 minutes left.

Everton finally replaced Ferrari with Ferguson four minutes later, but it seemed too late to make any real difference as Tottenham were now clearly in the ascendancy.

Luck was also against them, with Ferguson directing a powerful header from McFadden's corner just under the bar, only for Robinson to produce a superb one-handed save.

• Jol targets Champions League

Tottenham boss Martin Jol insisted that Spurs could challenge for a Champions League place after moving into second place by inflicting further misery on Everton.

Jol hailed the impact of Jermaine Jenas, who crossed for Mido's header on 57 minutes, before scoring his first goal for the club just five minutes later.

Jol declared: 'Everton are a different team to us. We will have some disappointments this season but we will get better and better. If we have everyone available, we are difficult to beat.

'Is this season a great opportunity for a Champions League place? Of course. We always want to win. We have a lot of new players but we have coped. If Wigan and Charlton are [near the top of the table] why shouldn't we be second?'

Jol was delighted with Jenas' impact, becoming Tottenham's first midfielder to score for the club so far this season after his £7million move from Newcastle.

'It's always difficult when you go to a new club. He's scored his first goal for us now and I think there'll be a lot coming from him now as he's a big talent. But he needs confidence as he's a young player,' he said.

'He got an assist and a goal and he will only get better and better. If we had left it, he could have played for another team. But my chairman said he would spend the money and I think he was right.'

Mido was also on target, with Jol adding: 'I like his mentality and he's involved in 50 per cent of our goals, either scoring them or with assists. He's a very good finisher with his head.'

Everton boss David Moyes, whose side have lost seven of their first eight league games and are rooted to the bottom of the table, was left to rue defender Joseph Yobo's needless mistake in the build-up to Mido's goal.

'There was no need for the crossfield pass which led to their first goal. That probably changed it as, when the goal came, it was going to make it very difficult for us,' he admitted.

'In the situation you're in, you hope to do the basics right and, if you can add something else to that, then fine. Sometimes you can make those passes and they don't work but they don't lead to a goal.

'This time, it led to a goal and we can't afford that. We have to stick to doing the simple things well. If we can't pull off the hard things, then don't bother with them until we sort out the basics.
'We're getting punished for every mistake and, as we're not scoring goals, we get a bit down when we concede.'