Everton 1 Spurs 2
Tottenham gave Everton a lesson in attacking football to win only their second away match in the league this season.
The hosts upset their fans with a cautious approach after getting back on level terms with a stunning Mikel Arteta free-kick.
Earlier Dimitar Berbatov had put the Londoners ahead with his 15th goal of the season.
And, with just two minutes left, Jermaine Jenas struck a cracking winner while Everton looked like they were trying to protect a point.
Everton boss David Moyes took a lot of stick from the fans for his failure to go for victory.
On a night when their neighbours Liverpool produced an amazing victory in Barcelona, the home side's European ambitions took a hammer blow, while Spurs have two major cups and maybe even a league placing and a chance to return to the UEFA Cup.
Everton were without striker Andrew Johnson, who failed a fitness test on his injured ankle, but Leon Osman returned following suspension.
Tim Cahill served a one-match ban while James Beattie and Victor Anichebe were teamed up front.
Tottenham had Jenas back from suspension, and played neat, controlled football early on.
With Everton utilising two big front men, there was going to be plenty of ball in the air, but the equally big Anthony Gardner handled the pressure well for Spurs.
The opening spell was memorable only for yellow cards for Anichebe and Phil Neville, the latter for clattering Dimitar Berbatov, the result of some wayward arm flaying by the Bulgarian that had clearly upset the Everton skipper.
Tim Howard had to be very quick from his line to take the ball from Robbie Keane's toes as he chased a Berbatov nod down, while at the other Paul Robinson was equally alert to touch wide an Osman shot from the edge of the box.
Joleon Lescott found himself the wrong side of Spurs winger Aaron Lennon on 34 minutes.
Leon Osman was caught in possession by Didier Zokora, in the act of playing a pass wide to the big defender.
The ball instead found its way into the path of Lennon, some 10 yards behind Lescott, who had no chance of catching the England man from that position.
Lennon surged away before laying the ball into the path of Berbatov, who scored with a crisp half-volley.
Everton hit back when Arteta curled a stunning 25-yard free-kick in off the foot of a post for the equaliser on 42 minutes amid Spurs anger.
Tottenham defender Michael Dawson was booked for a foul on Anichebe but linesman had clearly signalled for a Spurs free-kick for the Everton youngster's initial foul.
Referee Uriah Rennie, however, insisted on awarding the set-piece to Everton for a later tug by Dawson, with Arteta taking full advantage with his spectacular effort.
Everton took off Anichebe at the break, sending on Gary Naysmith to play on the left of midfield in front of Lescott, an attempt to halt Lennon's high-speed runs.
Beattie was left on his own up front, but Everton had greater parity in midfield.
The game was far more open and Berbatov took advantage of an Alan Stubbs slip to test Howard with a low drive from the edge of the box.
Everton responded with another Arteta free-kick, this time out on the right, which saw Osman flick a header across goal and just wide of the far post.
Manuel Fernandes had an increasing influence in midfield for Everton, with the hosts trying to get Naysmith and Osman forward from midfield to aid Beattie.
Spurs persisted with two strikers and sent on Steed Malbranque for the increasingly ineffective Lennon.
Berbatov should have done better with a volley from 15 yards while Robbie Keane got through on the left only to lift his shot over the Everton bar.
With only youngster James Vaughan as a striker on the bench, Everton opted to send on Tony Hibbert with five minutes left to play at right-back with Neville moving into midfield.
The change annoyed the Everton fans who wanted an extra attacking player to try to win the match.
But it was Spurs who drove forward and, with two minutes left, Jenas collected possession from Malbranque 20 yards out, looked up and guided a fine shot into the bottom corner.
Only now did Everton resort to Vaughan in place of Naysmith. The home fans were far from pleased at the lateness of such a change.
Moyes said: 'Sometimes you make decisions that work, sometimes they don't. We felt we had to take off Manuel Fernandes towards the end, even though he had been a threat, because he was tiring.
'We also took off striker Victor Anichebe at the break and sent on Gary Naysmith in midfield because we had been outplayed in that first-half.
'We had to take a brave decision and in many ways it worked. We were the better side after the break and created chances, so it was a real blow to lose it like that.
'I understand the fans' frustrations, no one is more frustrated that me. But I felt we were more likely to win it in the closing minutes than them.'
Spurs boss Martin Jol admitted he 'felt for' Moyes with the string of injuries he had to contend with. Jol said: 'Everton were without their best attacking players in Andy Johnson and Tim Cahill.
'When you lose that quality it can become very difficult. But I felt that overall we deserved it. In the first-half we were excellent, we took control of the game.
'It was not quite the same after the break, but they only worried us with the long ball and long throws.
'They changed tactics in the second-half and were much better, but it was a fine winning goal and good that we have finally won a second away league game this season.'
And Jol revealed a desire to go for broke in the final stages.
He said: 'We have the players that can do that. We decided to go for it, to put on attacking players and I was very pleased that it was us, the away side, going for the victory in those closing stages rather than what you would expect from a home team.'
The hosts upset their fans with a cautious approach after getting back on level terms with a stunning Mikel Arteta free-kick.
Earlier Dimitar Berbatov had put the Londoners ahead with his 15th goal of the season.
And, with just two minutes left, Jermaine Jenas struck a cracking winner while Everton looked like they were trying to protect a point.
Everton boss David Moyes took a lot of stick from the fans for his failure to go for victory.
On a night when their neighbours Liverpool produced an amazing victory in Barcelona, the home side's European ambitions took a hammer blow, while Spurs have two major cups and maybe even a league placing and a chance to return to the UEFA Cup.
Everton were without striker Andrew Johnson, who failed a fitness test on his injured ankle, but Leon Osman returned following suspension.
Tim Cahill served a one-match ban while James Beattie and Victor Anichebe were teamed up front.
Tottenham had Jenas back from suspension, and played neat, controlled football early on.
With Everton utilising two big front men, there was going to be plenty of ball in the air, but the equally big Anthony Gardner handled the pressure well for Spurs.
The opening spell was memorable only for yellow cards for Anichebe and Phil Neville, the latter for clattering Dimitar Berbatov, the result of some wayward arm flaying by the Bulgarian that had clearly upset the Everton skipper.
Tim Howard had to be very quick from his line to take the ball from Robbie Keane's toes as he chased a Berbatov nod down, while at the other Paul Robinson was equally alert to touch wide an Osman shot from the edge of the box.
Joleon Lescott found himself the wrong side of Spurs winger Aaron Lennon on 34 minutes.
Leon Osman was caught in possession by Didier Zokora, in the act of playing a pass wide to the big defender.
The ball instead found its way into the path of Lennon, some 10 yards behind Lescott, who had no chance of catching the England man from that position.
Lennon surged away before laying the ball into the path of Berbatov, who scored with a crisp half-volley.
Everton hit back when Arteta curled a stunning 25-yard free-kick in off the foot of a post for the equaliser on 42 minutes amid Spurs anger.
Tottenham defender Michael Dawson was booked for a foul on Anichebe but linesman had clearly signalled for a Spurs free-kick for the Everton youngster's initial foul.
Referee Uriah Rennie, however, insisted on awarding the set-piece to Everton for a later tug by Dawson, with Arteta taking full advantage with his spectacular effort.
Everton took off Anichebe at the break, sending on Gary Naysmith to play on the left of midfield in front of Lescott, an attempt to halt Lennon's high-speed runs.
Beattie was left on his own up front, but Everton had greater parity in midfield.
The game was far more open and Berbatov took advantage of an Alan Stubbs slip to test Howard with a low drive from the edge of the box.
Everton responded with another Arteta free-kick, this time out on the right, which saw Osman flick a header across goal and just wide of the far post.
Manuel Fernandes had an increasing influence in midfield for Everton, with the hosts trying to get Naysmith and Osman forward from midfield to aid Beattie.
Spurs persisted with two strikers and sent on Steed Malbranque for the increasingly ineffective Lennon.
Berbatov should have done better with a volley from 15 yards while Robbie Keane got through on the left only to lift his shot over the Everton bar.
With only youngster James Vaughan as a striker on the bench, Everton opted to send on Tony Hibbert with five minutes left to play at right-back with Neville moving into midfield.
The change annoyed the Everton fans who wanted an extra attacking player to try to win the match.
But it was Spurs who drove forward and, with two minutes left, Jenas collected possession from Malbranque 20 yards out, looked up and guided a fine shot into the bottom corner.
Only now did Everton resort to Vaughan in place of Naysmith. The home fans were far from pleased at the lateness of such a change.
Moyes said: 'Sometimes you make decisions that work, sometimes they don't. We felt we had to take off Manuel Fernandes towards the end, even though he had been a threat, because he was tiring.
'We also took off striker Victor Anichebe at the break and sent on Gary Naysmith in midfield because we had been outplayed in that first-half.
'We had to take a brave decision and in many ways it worked. We were the better side after the break and created chances, so it was a real blow to lose it like that.
'I understand the fans' frustrations, no one is more frustrated that me. But I felt we were more likely to win it in the closing minutes than them.'
Spurs boss Martin Jol admitted he 'felt for' Moyes with the string of injuries he had to contend with. Jol said: 'Everton were without their best attacking players in Andy Johnson and Tim Cahill.
'When you lose that quality it can become very difficult. But I felt that overall we deserved it. In the first-half we were excellent, we took control of the game.
'It was not quite the same after the break, but they only worried us with the long ball and long throws.
'They changed tactics in the second-half and were much better, but it was a fine winning goal and good that we have finally won a second away league game this season.'
And Jol revealed a desire to go for broke in the final stages.
He said: 'We have the players that can do that. We decided to go for it, to put on attacking players and I was very pleased that it was us, the away side, going for the victory in those closing stages rather than what you would expect from a home team.'
posted by dgarden at 8:25 am
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