Everton 0 Tottenham 0

Everton failed to take full advantage of neighbours Liverpool's increasingly shambolic season as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Spurs.

With Liverpool losing at West Ham, Everton could have been sitting pretty in fourth spot in the Barclays Premier League table, five points ahead of their troubled city rivals.

But in the end Everton had to settle for just one point and a lead of three over the Anfield side in the table.

Tottenham had the outstanding Jonathan Woodgate making his debut and the north Londoners - who can only qualify realistically for Europe by winning the Carling Cup - were able to almost cruise to a point.

• Ramos purrs over Woodgate

Everton needed to take command, but never did - with a wasted 10-yard effort from Andrew Johnson their best chance.

Woodgate took the place of suspended Michael Dawson for the visitors, with Wales international Chris Gunter also making his full Premier League debut and Pascal Chimbonda returning after a one-match ban.

Everton were without the suspended Tim Cahill and Tony Hibbert, plus their three players away on African Nations Cup duty.

Leon Osman was out with a groin problem while Victor Anichebe started up front and Leighton Baines played at full-back, having recovered from an ankle injury.

It was the end of a busy day for Spurs, who had signed Rangers' right-back Alan Hutton during the afternoon and sold Wayne Routledge to Aston Villa in the evening.

This could have been a curtain raiser for the Carling Cup final had Everton beaten Chelsea last week in their semi-final - and the Spurs fans were quick to remind everyone that they were going to Wembley.

But on the pitch the action was more low-key, apart from Victor Anichebe's robust style and a particularly bad foul by Nuno Valente on Chimbonda.

Gunter, who was in Cardiff's reserves a matter of weeks ago, settled quickly at left-back while Tom Huddlestone was showing his adaptability in the centre of Spurs' defence, one of several British-born youngsters on the pitch.

Everton had Baines on the left of midfield, and he managed the first shot of the night, a 20-yard effort which was claimed by Radek Cerny.

Then Steed Malbranque responded with an overhead kick which was held by Tim Howard as the game, if not the night, warmed up.

Valente's cross a minute later, touched on by Anichebe, almost gave Johnson an opening, but he failed to beat Cerny to the ball.

Anichebe and Baines then had shots blocked in the six-yard box, before Phil Neville's cross reached Johnson - but his shot on the turn was held by Cerny.

Aaron Lennon's pace took him past Valente and Joleon Lescott, but Howard plucked out the cross that was heading for Dimitar Berbatov.

Everton were furious in the 34th minute when Johnson went down in the box with Huddlestone close behind.

There were loud appeals for a penalty but neither linesman nor referee Andre Marriner were interested - and television replays showed barely any contact.

Two minutes into the second half Mikel Arteta worked his way past three defenders in the box to reach the line before firing a low cross into the six-yard box - and Anichebe's lunge missed connecting by inches.

Robbie Keane's 15-yard effort was then claimed by Howard, the ball reaching Spurs' top scorer after Phil Neville had given the ball away to Berbatov seconds after an excellent interception.

Manuel Fernandes was beginning to get into the game and a couple of decent runs and 20-yard effort which went over underlined his growing midfield involvement.

Everton continued to push forward and Cerny produced the best save of the night so far, diving smartly to his left to block a Johnson effort from eight yards.

Just past the hour mark Kevin-Prince Boateng came on for teenager Gunter, moving into midfield with Jamie O'Hara dropping to full-back.

Everton sent on James Vaughan for Anichebe on 71 minutes, and five minutes later Nuno Valente was booked for a trip on Lennon.

Woodgate, immaculate throughout, was booked for a late tackle on Vaughan on 82 minutes.

Spurs produced good pressure towards the end, with Berbatov seeing a header from a Lennon run and cross saved by Howard, but neither side deserved all three points.



Ramos purrs over Woodgate


Tottenham boss Juande Ramos admitted his delight with new signing Jonathan Woodgate after the 0-0 draw at Everton.
Ramos now has former Rangers full-back Alan Hutton waiting in the wings after his £9million move today, and the Spanish coach said: 'It was a fairly balanced game overall, both teams were intent on winning.

'The first half was Everton's but increasingly it was Spurs who were the better team after the break.

'It was a fair result in the end. I was happy with Woodgate's first game. He played very well in his first match.

'He does not know his team-mates too well but he is a player of great experience and taking that into consideration he played very well and is someone who can bring great benefits to Tottenham.

'I don't know whether that is the end of the transfer activity. I have been away preparing the team for the Everton match and unsure where we are with things, but I do not know of any other situations. There is only one day left of the transfer window.

'I hope we have no problems with Woodgate's fitness. There are a lot of matches in our schedule and maybe he will need a rest and if he wants that I hope he will let us know.'

Everton boss David Moyes accepted that a victory would have given them an even greater lead over local rivals Liverpool in the chase for fourth spot, but he said: 'I did not know Liverpool had lost until after the game, and maybe people will think I should be overjoyed.

'Of course it helps us when they lose, but I do not want to get too carried away with the current situation. Come the end of the season we will see how things are.

'We are just concentrating on ourselves, accumulating as many points as we can and hope it is enough to achieve what we want.'

He added: 'Spurs passed the ball well and kept possession and that always makes the crowd anxious, and we did keep giving them the ball back.

'So for the final minutes were being forced to defend. But that is what Tottenham can do to you.

'But apart from those last few minutes I think we did a very good job on Spurs, and caused them a few problems as well.'

FA Cup: Man Utd 3 Tottenham 1

Cristiano Ronaldo continued his astonishing scoring spree to steer Manchester United through to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win over Tottenham.

The Portugal winger set a seasonal best tally of 25 goals for the club with a brace against 10-man Tottenham. Yet the Carling Cup finalists will be left cursing their luck after squandering a number of chances.

They were also left to rue defender Michael Dawson's sending off at a crucial stage of the game.

Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo both had good efforts for United but it was Tottenham who almost made the breakthrough through Dimitar Berbatov.

• Ferguson hails two-goal Ronaldo

He got on the end of a corner from Aaron Lennon, only for Rooney to clear off the line and get a pat on the back from goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar in the 16th minute.

Tottenham, however, did go ahead in the 24th minute when Aaron Lennon skipped away from Patrice Evra. He delivered the ball into the area and Robbie Keane scored from close range.

Tottenham were looking dangerous on the counter attack and Berbatov picked out Lennon in the 32nd minute. As he was being shadowed by Wes Brown, Lennon tried his luck on goal but failed to test van der Sar.

United stepped up the pace and Radek Cerny did well to tip over a shot from Ryan Giggs after 37 minutes.

The equaliser came a minute later and Giggs played a crucial role in the build up. He held off the challenge of Young-Pyo Lee and that enabled Carlos Tevez to fire a shot into the corner beyond Cerny.

It was just the boost United were looking for and and Carrick clipped a shot over the bar in the 41st minute.

Jenas should have regained the lead for Spurs in stoppage time when he was clean through. However he failed to get enough power on his effort and van der Sar was able to push it to safety.

Tottenham came close to regaining their lead in the 47th minute when Evra slipped and let in the pacey Lennon. He raced forward and tried to chip van der Sar only for his effort to finish on the roof of the net.

Jamie O'Hara then curled a 25-yard free kick wide before Jenas fluffed his lines again in the 55th minute. He had only van der Sar to beat but failed to test the Dutch goalkeeper with his effort.

United responded and Tevez picked out Ronaldo in the 59th minute but his shot went narrowly wide.

Ferguson then decided a change was needed and Paul Scholes was introduced in the 65th minute. Making his first appearance in three months after a knee operation he was given a rousing ovation by the home fans when he replaced Carrick.

Scholes was quickly into the action and released Tevez with a precise pass in the 67th minute but he fired a shot over the bar.

The tie took a dramatic turn a minute later when Dawson was sent off for a hand ball in the area under pressure from Rooney. Ronaldo stepped and slotted the spot kick into the corner to put United 2-1 ahead with his 24th goal for the club.

Down to 10 men and a goal down, Tottenham looked a little bit deflated as the game entered a crucial stage.

However they almost drew level when Berbatov's effort in the 85th minute came back off the post after a good through ball from Steed Malbranque.

Ronaldo got his second in the 88th minute when he got away from substitute Chris Gunter and his shot squirmed under Cerny's body, leaving the goalkeeper red-faced.



Ferguson hails two-goal Ronaldo


Sir Alex Ferguson again lauded Ronaldo's goal scoring record, after the winger sealed the cup tie. He said: 'Ronaldo was fantastic again, amazing.
'He took the penalty well and was able to cash in on a mistake late on for the second goal.

'I'm happy with the result because Spurs came into the game on the back of a fantastic win against Arsenal in the Carling Cup so we knew it wouldn't be easy.

'It was a very open match and I think it was a fantastic cup tie where both teams contributed to a what was a great game.

'We dominated possession and we created a number of opportunities but maybe our final ball wasn't as good as it can be which let us down a bit.'

Tottenham head coach Juande Ramos refused to be drawn on whether Jonathan Woodgate is poised to move to White Hart Lane.

There have been reports that the Middlesbrough defender has secured a three-and-a-half-year deal and passed a medical with Spurs, who were vying with Newcastle for the England man's signature.

Brazilian full-back Gilberto has also reported to be in London ahead of a move from Hertha Berlin.

But after seeing his team exit the FA Cup after losing 3-1 to Manchester United, Ramos said: 'My mind is on this game, not what with what is happening elsewhere.

'This is not the time to be talking about perhaps reinforcing the squad.'

Ramos insisted that the scoreline was not a fair reflection of the game.

He said: 'We matched Manchester United at all times and had many possibilities to score.

'The result is closer than the score suggests. I thought we coped well with the challenge of playing them on their own ground.

'There were some decisive moments in the game and we deserved more from it.'

Carling Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg - Spurs 5 Arsenal 1

Spurs 5 - 1 Ar5ena1
by mjamcphee87

Tottenham ended more than eight years of failure against arch-rivals Arsenal in some style with a resounding 5-1 win at White Hart Lane to book a trip to Wembley in the Carling Cup final.


CliveMason/GettyImages
Nicklas Bendtner of Arsenal scores an own goal
Not since November 1999 and through 21 previous encounters had Spurs fans been able to laud it over the Gunners.

But following this comprehensive victory against a mainly young Arsenal side which just could not cope with the tenacity of Jermaine Jenas and the pace of frontman Robbie Keane, Juande Ramos will be confident of landing a first trophy in his maiden season at the famous redeveloped venue next month.

• Ramos hails 'perfect' Spurs

Spurs should have put the tie beyond doubt after dominating the first leg at Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago but following a late goal from Theo Walcott, Arsenal still had it all to play for.

However, despite adding experience in the form of captain William Gallas, Alex Hleb and, from the bench Cesc Fabregas and Togo frontman Emmanuel Adebayor, this proved one game too far for Arsene Wenger's emerging side, who nevertheless still have bigger prizes in their sights.

The tone was set for the evening when Spurs were off to a flyer inside the opening three minutes.

Dimitar Berbatov flicked the ball on to Jenas, who charged towards the edge of the area, before side-stepping Justin Hoyte.

The England midfielder, watched by new national team coach Fabio Capello, then coolly dispatched a low angled strike in off the far post.

This now was set to be a real test of Arsenal's character.

Nicklas Bendtner had a half chance following some neat work around the right side of the Spurs box, but his well-struck effort flew just over.

However, the tie looked all but over after 26 minutes when Spurs moved 2-0 ahead.

Jenas sent in a deep free-kick from the left, which floated into the Arsenal six-yard box.

Michael Dawson jumped with Bendtner and the unfortunate Dane could only guide the ball past his own keeper.

The home fans had waited almost a decade for a taste of success over their bitter rivals and could now sense they were within touching distance of a return to Wembley.

Spurs continued to press and Berbatov dragged his shot against the base of Lukasz Fabianski's right-hand post when he really should have scored after the Bulgarian was put clean through by the busy Jenas.

Spurs, though, had been here before - they were 2-0 up in the first leg of last season's Carling Cup semi-final only to eventually surrender their home advantage and then bow out at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal almost found a lifeline when a near-post free-kick was headed goalwards by Bacary Sagna but Radek Cerny produced a fine one-handed reaction save to show just why he is keeping out England's number one Paul Robinson.

Abou Diaby cut inside and blazed a 25-yard effort just over as the Gunners aimed to make Spurs pay for their careless finishing.

The hosts, however, continued to look dangerous on the break as neither side looked ready to let up on the relentless tempo ahead of the half-time interval.

The next goal would be crucial - and it was Spurs who secured safe passage to Wembley two minutes after the restart.

Berbatov flicked the ball onto Aaron Lennon in the centre circle. His exquisite pass with the outside of the boot split the visitors' defence as Keane ran on into the box.

The Republic of Ireland striker sent a half-volley towards the bottom right corner from just inside the box, which bounced up in front of Fabianski and flew into the net.

Arsenal almost produced a swift reply but Bendtner saw his acrobatic effort hit the bar, before Fabregas, on for the injured Denilson in the first half, then smacked the rebound straight at Cerny.

Steed Malbranque had a great chance to make it four when he went racing clean through, but this time the young Pole stood his ground to make a decent save and quickly recovered the loose ball from under Berbatov's feet.

The Wembley chants began to ring out around White Hart Lane as the hour mark approached.

Their short journey across north London on February 24 was confirmed when Lennon got in on the overlap down the right from Keane's quick pass and slammed in a low drive through Fabianski's legs.

With the tie now safe, Ramos gave Berbatov and Keane a rest as Jermain Defoe and Kevin-Prince Boateng went on after 62 minutes.

Wenger took off the ineffective Walcott, introducing Adebayor while Croatian forward Eduardo replaced full-back Armand Traore.

The Togo frontman pulled one back with 20 minutes left, linking up with Eduardo to smash home a 16th goal of the season from the edge of the box - but this time Spurs would not be denied a long-awaited victory as Malbranque netted a fifth in stoppage time.




Ramos hails 'perfect' Spurs


Arsenal players lost their cool at White Hart Lane on Tuesday night as Tottenham manager Juande Ramos hailed a 'perfect' performance after a resounding 5-1 victory secured a trip to Wembley in the Carling Cup final.
It has been more than eight years and some 21 encounters since Spurs last got the upper hand over their north-London rivals, but it was a thoroughly deserved victory and nothing more than their determined approached warranted.

After dominating the first leg at Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago, but only coming away with a 1-1 draw, the home side got off to the perfect start through Jermaine Jenas inside three minutes and never looked back.

Arsenal - with manager Arsene Wenger again fielding a young side, but one bolstered by the experience of captain William Gallas and, from the bench, Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor - just had no answer to the home side's midfield tenacity and pace in the final third.

Indeed, during the closing stages, with the tie already lost, skipper Gallas was seen to square up to young Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner, whom pictures also suggest had been involved in an altercation with team-mate Adebayor. Eventually, referee Howard Webb had to intervene to restore calm.

The night, though, belonged to Spurs, who revelled in defeating their old enemy en route to a first cup final since 2002 - and all in the opening few months of Ramos' reign.

'In order to beat a team like Arsenal, you have to play well. We didn't make mistakes and were perfect in all areas of the team,' said Ramos.

'The effort that the players have put in to reach this final means they are the architects of this victory.'

The Spaniard - who took over from Martin Jol with the club in crisis during October - added: 'It makes me tremendously happy that the fans are happy with my work and with the team - but the architects of this were the footballers themselves.

'They're the people putting in the effort on the pitch. In the time that I've been here, there's recognition of what we're doing and that's very pleasing.

'To get to a final in such a short period of time since I came here is a fantastic achievement. More so for the fans, who are tremendously happy.

'It's been a long time since they've had a flavour of a final.

'It's tremendously satisfying, more so because they are a direct rival from the same city and, add to that the fact that we hadn't beaten them for so long... and add to that the scoreline. It's all the more satisfying.'

Ramos added: 'It has been a big change. But without the collaboration of the footballers themselves, this would have been impossible.

'The huge effort the players have made to come out of a bad situation means we have been improving.

'We're involved in everything at the moment. I want to publicly recognise that they are the architects of this change.'

Wenger, meanwhile, insisted he knew nothing of the confrontation between his players.

The Arsenal manager said: 'I haven't seen that.

'I don't know anything about it. I don't know what you're talking about.'

Wenger maintained he had 'no regrets' with his team selection as Arsenal failed to make it to the Carling Cup final for a second successive season.

'None at all,' said Wenger, who insisted the competition was not a priority.

'The only regret I have is to have played the players who should not have played. I'd rather have had a completely young side, but it was good for us to see.

'We go into every season with that priority in terms of the competition. They have potential.'

Wenger added: 'It is a disappointment because we lost, of course.

'I feel that everything went against us on Tuesday night.

'We were always running after the score, taking risks and being at risk to the counter.

'We were not mature enough to stop the counter-attacking.

'The score is very brutal, but doesn't reflect what I've seen on the pitch.

'The first shot on goal was a goal. The second was an own goal. The third was straight after half-time.

'After that, the game was over and they could focus on defending well and catching us on the break. I don't give too much meaning to the scoreline.'

Wenger maintained his youngsters would not be scarred by such a comprehensive defeat.

'It's part of a learning process,' he said.

'When you're a football player you have to deal with disappointments. That's part of it as well.

'You have to take it on board. It's how you respond to disappointments and it's about how you deal with it.

'I expect them not all to be ready. We live in a world where the last game is always a 'definitely conclusion'.

'It's not always as simple as that, particularly with young players.'

Tottenham 2 Sunderland 0

Robbie Keane scored his 100th goal for Tottenham as the hosts defeated Sunderland 2-0 at White Hart Lane.

Keane's goal came in stoppage-time after Spurs had to withstand second-half pressure from Sunderland in the Premier League clash.

Aaron Lennon scored on his 100th appearance for Spurs for the opener and the hosts threatened to run riot, only for Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon to keep the visitors in the game.

Roy Keane's men had a goal disallowed and heroic defending by Michael Dawson ended a run of two league defeats in a row for Spurs, with Keane sealing the points.


• Ramos happy with 'strange' win


Bigger tests await for Spurs as well, with Arsenal and Manchester United in cup competitions coming up.

Juande Ramos clearly had Tuesday's Carling Cup clash with Arsenal in mind and the likes of Ledley King were not in the squad, and Keane was on the bench and made to wait for his moment to record his ton.

Even so, the decision to give Jermain Defoe the captain's armband was surprising, particularly with Jermaine Jenas and Dawson kept in the starting line-up.

Perhaps Ramos was showing his loyalty to the striker who is yet to sign a new contract and has been linked with Aston Villa while his opportunities at Spurs have been limited.

The reception he got from the home fans suggested they did not want it to a farewell gesture.

Also intriguing was Ramos' decision to pick one out-and-out centre-back. Tom Huddlestone, a midfielder by trade, partnered Dawson against an attack led by Kenwyne Jones.

Despite their unfamiliar appearance, Spurs were ahead in the second minute.

Jamie O'Hara's perseverance created the chance. After battling for the ball on the left flank, Paul McShane's clearance struck Lee Young-Pyo and fell kindly for the midfielder. O'Hara's cross missed Dimitar Berbatov and Danny Collins but Lennon prodded past Gordon.

It was then a case of Spurs attacking and Gordon doing everything possible to keep them at bay.

The hosts were attacking with pace, illustrated by Lennon's run leaving Dwight Yorke on his backside - the veteran used his hand to clear but escaped sanction.

Jenas was inches from a second after being found beyond the Sunderland defence by Huddlestone - but his finish just drifted wide of the post.

Berbatov struck the crossbar in the 27th minute after a flowing move started by O'Hara's impish flick on the touchline.

Defoe eventually played Lennon in down the right and Berbatov's finish from the cross was fractionally too high.

Defoe's chip from the edge of the area was superbly tipped wide by Gordon - and the Scotland goalkeeper saved with his feet when Huddlestone found Berbatov with a long ball and the Bulgaria striker lashed a shot on target.

Gordon's efforts kept Sunderland in the game and they started asserting pressure towards the end of the first half.

Daryl Murphy had an effort from long-range but Cerny, still preferred to Paul Robinson, was untroubled by the curler.

McShane went into the book for a rugby-style tackle on Jenas, then Keane brought on Michael Chopra for Anthony Stokes and switched to a 4-4-2.

Jones had a clearer sight of goal when Yorke found him in the penalty area just before the break but Dawson was back to clear. Dawson also cleared off the line when McShane met Chopra's corner.

Sunderland were missing the creativity of Kieran Richardson, who picked up a hamstring injury in training, but it did not limit their threat going forward.

Murphy almost levelled three minutes into the second half when Dawson and Paul Stalteri ran into each other - but the finish curled wide.

Jones had the ball in the net in the 52nd minute when Murphy's free-kick broke to him but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Murphy also drilled a dangerous cross across Cerny's goal after Yorke had set up a counter-attack with an intelligent header. McShane also headed over from a free-kick.

The hosts went close through Defoe and Berbatov, while Huddlestone had a free-kick saved - but it was Sunderland who looked the more likely to score next. Yorke drilled wide from the edge of the area.

Spurs striker Keane came on for Defoe and also took the captain's armband, while Andy Cole came on for McShane.

Cerny had to save from Chopra's header and Jones was denied by a Dawson block with the rebound.

He also denied Liam Miller, then Keane's shot squirmed under Gordon for his 100th Spurs goal.




Ramos happy with 'strange' win



Juande Ramos hailed the efforts of Robbie Keane after the striker scored his 100th goal for Tottenham in the 2-0 Premier League win over Sunderland.
Keane reached his century in stoppage-time at White Hart Lane when he latched onto Radek Cerny's clearance and squirmed a shot under Craig Gordon.

'I think it's a great achievement for him, the club and the Spurs family,' said head coach Ramos.

Keane has scored 16 goals this season for Spurs and fired 15 in 15 appearances at the back end of last season, marking an incredible year for the Republic of Ireland striker.

Aaron Lennon had opened the scoring in the second minute when he prodded past Gordon from Jamie O'Hara's cross from the left flank.

Gordon then kept Sunderland in the game with a series of impressive saves, notably from a Jermain Defoe chip and a Dimitar Berbatov drive.

Defoe, who has been linked with a move to Aston Villa, was named captain for the day as Ledley King was rested, Paul Robinson is not in favour and Keane started on the bench.

'The first three captains were out of the first XI and I needed an alternative,' said Ramos. 'I had to choose somebody.'

Berbatov also hit the crossbar and Jermaine Jenas went just wide when he raced through, but Spurs were nearly made to rue their misses as Sunderland began to threaten towards the end of the first half.

Paul McShane had a header cleared off the line just before the break and Spurs had to withstand plenty of Sunderland pressure in the second half.

Daryl Murphy curled a shot wide, Kenwyne Jones had a strike disallowed for offside and Cerny saved superbly from Michael Chopra and Liam Miller.

Ramos praised Cerny, adding: 'The more he has played the better his form has been. He had a great match.'

Sunderland boss Roy Keane said: 'If you give two goals away like we did you don't deserve to win any football match.

'You can dress it up all you want.

'Their goalkeeper obviously made some outstanding saves, credit to him, but if you concede a goal after 111 seconds it's not ideal with our away record.

'The game is 90 minutes, you're not going to dominate any game from start to finish but you have to start well. Every manager wants a decent start and at the top level it is about concentration. That wins and loses football matches.'

Keane still hopes to bring new faces to the Stadium of Light before the end of the January transfer window.

'I've been saying it for two or three weeks and I'm still hopeful,' he added.

Ramos admitted he was relieved to hold on for victory.

'It was a rather strange match,' said the Spaniard. 'The first half was ours. There were opportunities in the second half but they were mainly for Sunderland. We got victory in a roundabout way.'

FA Cup Replay: Reading 0 Tottenham 1

Robbie Keane scored the only goal of the game at the Madejski Stadium to put Tottenham into the fourth round of the FA Cup at the expense of Reading.

The Republic of Ireland striker is now one away from a century of goals for Spurs, after his 15th strike of the season set up a mouth-watering tie at Manchester United a week on Sunday.

Reading almost forced extra-time in the replay when Stephen Hunt came off the bench and smacked a volley against the crossbar, but Steve Coppell's men can now focus on the league.

The clash was never going to be a 6-4 or the 2-2 in the previous matches between the clubs - there was plenty of attacking but the game missed the cutting edge of Dimitar Berbatov, who had flu.

England boss Fabio Capello was in the stands and he was able to cast his eye over an eager Jermain Defoe, a versatile Nicky Shorey who was played in central midfield and Jermaine Jenas returning from suspension.

• Coppell backs Ramos for Cup glory

Paul Robinson was not in the squad, though, as his wife gave birth to a boy on the eve of the game. He was unlikely to have been in the starting XI anyway after losing his place to Radek Cerny.

With Coppell's focus on the Barclays Premier League, it was a chance for him to look at his fringe players again, although he still kept five players in the starting XI from the weekend.

His players clearly cared about the competition - unlike Dave Kitson, who was not in the squad - but lacked the penetration of Hunt until he came off the bench.

Berbatov had scored six goals in the previous thrillers, and both teams adopted attacking approaches again.

Jenas made an early burst after robbing Kalifa Cisse of the ball but his cross was just ahead of Keane.

Chris Gunter, making his Spurs debut, also had a dangerous cross cleared and Defoe headed over from the resulting corner after Younes Kaboul flicked on to him.

Keane grabbed the opener in the 15th minute, stabbing home from close range after Kaboul met Jenas' corner and Adam Federici tipped onto the bar.

Reading had their moments going forward, with Leroy Lita at the heart of their attacks.

He had a glimpse of goal early on but his finish looped to safety - and he was also booked for diving, although it looked harsh as he merely fell as he attempted to get his shot away.

Robinson's replacement, Cerny, did not get the right contact on a punch seven minutes before the break - but Lita blazed over the crossbar. He also glanced a header wide from Shane Long's cross.

At the other end, Keane had a tame penalty appeal turned down by Mike Riley when Ulises de la Cruz blocked his cross, straight after the full-back had gifted the promising opportunity with a mess of a clearance.

Pascal Chimbonda then had Federici backtracking with a sliced cross - but there was no repeat of the type of blunder which put Robinson in the spotlight during the drawn match at White Hart Lane.

Federici was also down smartly to save at his near post just before the break when Defoe met Kevin-Prince Boateng's cross with a first-time volley.

Trying his utmost to impress, Defoe also wriggled through the Reading defence on the stroke of half-time but could not get a shot away.

Coppell tried to get back in the game by bringing on Simon Cox for Alex Pearce, with Shorey moving into central midfield and looking to spread the play to Long in attack.

Shorey shot wide after 56 minutes when Long tamed a cross from Rosenior and laid the ball back.

At the other end, Defoe was off target with an impish chip from the edge of the area - it was his last action as he was taken off just after the hour mark for Aaron Lennon.

Reading brought on their own winger, with Hunt replacing Shorey - and the substitute was teed up for a volley by Ivar Ingimarsson with seven minutes remaining but the Sunderland target's effort crashed off the crossbar.

Steed Malbranque had a volley tipped onto the bar in stoppage-time.



Coppell backs Ramos for Cup glory


Juande Ramos has established himself as the king of the knockout competitions in Europe - and Steve Coppell believes the FA Cup is within his grasp at Tottenham.
'Of course they can win it,' said the Reading boss. 'They are capable of winning six games to win the cup. You look at the players they have got and they shouldn't be where they are in the league.

'I call them part of the top five in the country in the last couple of years. It hasn't quite worked for them this year but they are a very good team.'

Ramos knows it is against the odds that his unbeaten run in cups will continue - he has won back-to-back UEFA Cups and the domestic knockout trophy in Spain - but is targeting more glory.



'We're going to try,' said Ramos. 'The next game is very difficult and we know how tough it will be. They are clear favourites.'
Ramos's men were ahead in the 15th minute when Keane stabbed in after Younes Kaboul's header was tipped on to the crossbar by Adam Federici.

The Spaniard said: 'The most important things is to get through to the next round, we have not conceded a goal and it was quite an effort to overcome Reading.

'I'm very happy with the performance. The conditions were not good with the rain and we only had three days rest from the match against Chelsea at the weekend.'



Despite victory, Ramos is concerned that cup ties will distract his side from their league revival.
'This is my biggest concern,' he said. 'We are making a big effort to win in the cups and we have injured players and suspensions as a result.'

Coppell picked five players from the weekend clash at Aston Villa and insisted the cup still has its magic, despite clubs going into matches under strength.

'Winning can give you a lift and help self-esteem,' he said. 'Who cares if you are not going to win the cup in the end? Victories in the competition against bigger teams is what the magic of the cup is.'

Chelsea 2 Tottenham 0

New signing Nicolas Anelka made his Chelsea debut as Juliano Belletti and Shaun Wright-Phillips ensured Avram Grant's side continued to keep pace with the leaders at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 2-0 home win against Tottenham.

Anelka, who moved from Bolton for £15million, was introduced as a second-half substitute and denied a debut goal by the woodwork in the final minute.

But the game was settled by Belletti's 30-yard screamer in the 19th minute and another from Wright-Phillips 10 minutes from time.

Tottenham were hoping to record their first victory at Stamford Bridge in almost 18 years but found themselves under sustained pressure in the opening moments.


• Grant pleased with Anelka debut

Joe Cole sent over a dangerous cross in the 11th minute, but unfortunately the ball eluded everyone in the penalty area.

Seconds later Florent Malouda left Pascal Chimbonda in a spin on the edge of the penalty area, but his attempted cross to the unmarked Wright-Phillips was just too high.

Tottenham were guilty of giving the ball away too much, but Chelsea, despite the creativity of Joe Cole and Belletti on the right flank, failed to make the most of it until the 19th minute when the defender put the home side ahead.

There seemed little danger to Tottenham when Belletti collected the ball just inside the away half.

But in the absence of a challenge from Tottenham's players, Belletti moved forward before unleashing a 30-yard drive that soared into the roof of the net beyond Radek Cerny's outstretched hands.

Tottenham midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng was then booked for a challenge that belonged more on a rugby pitch as he brought down a rampaging Joe Cole with both hands.

Spurs should have equalised in the 29th minute when Aaron Lennon's cross found Steed Malbranque lurking unmarked at the far post.

The Spurs midfielder let fly with a volley which threatened to find its way into the net at the near post, until the agile Petr Cech pushed it to safety.

In the 32nd minute Tottenham's Boateng tried his luck from 20 yards, but his accuracy was not a patch on that displayed by Belletti earlier in the game and the ball flew over the crossbar.

Chelsea's goal had forced Tottenham to increase both their work-rate and pace but much to the frustration of coach Juande Ramos, their final ball left a lot to be desired.

Joe Cole continued to give Young-Pyo Lee problems on Chelsea's right flank and his pass to Wright-Phillips in the 37th minute allowed the England winger to take aim at the Spurs goal.


SFortunately for the visitors, Ledley King managed to block the shot and the ball span away for a corner which Chelsea wasted.
Another cross from Joe Cole in the 40th minute ran untouched right along the edge of the six-yard box much to the England midfielder's frustration.

Chelsea had a goal by Michael Ballack ruled out for offside after a mistake by King had allowed Malouda to open up the Spurs defence yet further.

Ramos' side had been distinctly lack-lustre in the first period with little of their renowned attacking flair on show.

But it was Chelsea who began to assert themselves, with Joe Cole testing Cerny's concentration with a low drive from 18 yards in the 49th minute.

The Spurs keeper, preferred to England's Paul Robinson, dealt with Cole's effort easily.

In the 52nd minute, Malbranque was booked for a late lunge on Wright-Phillips.

One of the biggest cheers of the afternoon was reserved for new signing Anelka when he began warming up on the touchline in the 54th minute.

He got an even bigger cheer when he replaced Claudio Pizarro in the 58th minute.

Anelka almost made it a spectacular debut with his third touch of the game when a back-heel from Wright-Phillips found him unmarked eight yards out.

Anelka, with his back to goal, turned and struck a half-volley that Cerny saved superbly.

Tottenham then enjoyed a long spell of possession, but it failed to produce results. The closest they came to a goal was in the 69th minute when Ballack was booked for a foul on Lennon on the edge of the penalty area.

Dimitar Berbatov took the kick but sent his effort just wide of the target.

Chelsea ensured they increased their unbeaten home run in the league to 74 games 10 minutes from time when Joe Cole's run and pass allowed Wright-Phillips to send a low right-foot drive into the bottom corner.

But the margin of victory could have been higher. Wright-Phillips wasted a chance to make it three by firing wide from 18-yards and Anelka hit the crossbar after a mistake by Michael Dawson in the last minute of normal time.


Grant pleased with Anelka debut
Avram Grant insists he could not have asked for any more from new £15million signing Nicolas Anelka after the French striker made his debut as a second-half substitute against Tottenham.



Grant revealed that he had no plans to use the striker but an injury to Claudio Pizarro during the 2-0 win forced him to introduce Anelka into the action.



Grant said: 'We are very short of strikers, Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are in Africa and Andriy Shevchenko is injured. Pizarro got injured so we had to use him.


'Anelka played without having one training session with us. He very quickly got into the style of the team and was part of the game. He hit the bar one time and the goalkeeper made a good save from him. So you cannot ask any more from his first performance. But we didn't plan to use him.'


Chelsea are now closing in on the leaders and with injured players like captain John Terry, midfielder Frank Lampard plus their African Nations Cup contingent to return, the Blues are beginning to look real title contenders again.


Grant added: 'I am very pleased for many things. First I am pleased that we have won so many games but more pleased by the way we have done it.


'We changed the style a little bit but not much and even without so many players, we keep looking to play good football. I am very happy. Our target is to win games and always play positive football.


'It is not easy to be in the position to always have to run after the other teams because if you lose points, it makes the gap more bigger. But it is not easy for everybody because Arsenal is a very good team and so are Manchester United.


'So, if we win and they drop points I am happy and hope it does not happen the other way around.'


Grant also praised the performance of Wright-Phillips, who scored another important goal on the back of the one he notched against Everton in the Carling Cup semi-final in midweek.


Grant said: 'Shaun was excellent for me. We needed him to play in midfield and then we need him to play as a striker in the last 10 minutes and he scored a fantastic goal.


'He also worked hard in the midfield and played intelligent football. He was very good.'


Tottenham boss Juande Ramos claimed the result flattered Chelsea even though they troubled Blues keeper Petr Cech on just one occasion in 90 minutes.


Ramos said: 'It was a very evenly balanced game. Domination of the game passed from one side to the other. But that balance was not reflected in the scoreline.


'Chelsea grabbed two goals from outside the penalty area but in terms of domination of the game, it wasn't reflected in the scoreline.'


Ramos again chose Radek Cerny ahead of England goalkeeper Paul Robinson but the Spurs coach would not apportion any blame on the stopper for either goal.


He also claimed the squad was a happy one even though he had axed Robinson for the Carling Cup semi-final against Arsenal in midweek.


Ramos said: 'Goals are conceded by the team as a whole. It is not a question of handing responsibility to one player or another. We have conceded two goals and lost the game. It is just a bad result.

'We are working with a squad of happy players at the moment. We were in a complicated position in the league table but we are happy with the players we have got.

'I have got a squad of 20-odd players and obviously those that play more minutes are going to happier than those who play fewer.'

Carling Cup Semi 1st Leg: Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1

Theo Walcott showed watching England boss Fabio Capello there may just be hope for the future as his late second-half goal gave Arsenal a 1-1 draw in their Carling Cup semi-final against arch-rivals Tottenham at Emirates Stadium.


Manager Arsene Wenger had again put his faith in youth, with the average age of his side was just 21 and a half.

However, it looked to have been a game too far for the young Gunners as a determined Spurs team - without dropped England keeper Paul Robinson - were good value for their half-time lead through Jermaine Jenas, and looked set to be the first away team to win at the Emirates in 21 matches.


• Ramos: Robinson not finished


Yet following the introduction of in-form Croatian striker Eduardo and regular full-back Bacary Sagna, Arsenal eventually found another gear and were rewarded when Walcott scrambled in his third goal of the season with 11 minutes left to leave the tie delicately poised for the second leg at White Hart Lane in a fortnight's time.

New England boss Capello was an interested spectator in the stands - although quite what he must have made of the two Swiss, a pair of Brazilians, a Dutchman, a Dane and a Pole in Arsenal's starting XI is anybody's guess.

Thankfully tonight Wenger also named a couple of Englishmen in his side - Walcott and Justin Hoyte.

Conversely, there would have been plenty of home-grown interest for the Italian in the Spurs line-up which included midfielder Jenas, defenders Michael Dawson and Ledley King as well as winger Aaron Lennon.

Of course, axed stopper Robinson and striker Jermain Defoe will certainly be hoping for more involvement in Capello's squad after they warmed the bench.

Spurs number two keeper Radek Cerny showed he is not ring rusty in a first appearance under new Spurs head coach Juande Ramos when he produced a flying save at full stretch to keep out a close-range header from Nicklas Bendtner, following a cross by Hoyte after Robin van Persie's superb reverse pass out to the right.

On 24 minutes, Dimitar Berbatov - once a transfer target for Wenger - charged towards the Arsenal box and was sandwiched by Gilberto and captain for the night Philippe Senderos, giving away a free-kick on the right side.

Jamie O'Hara struck his effort well, but the ball curled around the far post and behind.

Tottenham had sold out their allocation, encamped behind the goal, and although the match had been delayed by some 15 minutes as fans struggled through the failing London transport system, there was still a noticeable number of empty seats around the upper tiers of the Emirates, with the official attendance just over 53,000.

After 32 minutes, Spurs should have taken the lead.

Robbie Keane's determined run into the Arsenal box was checked by a fine saving tackle from Senderos.

The loose ball broke to Steed Malbranque, but from only 12 yards out the French midfielder inexplicably dragged his shot wide.

Polish keeper Lukasz Fabianski then had to be alert to deflect Berbatov's 20-yard drive away.

The Spurs fans, though, did not have to wait long for their goal.

Johan Djourou's poor defensive header was picked up by Berbatov.

The Bulgarian chipped a first-time ball through to Keane.

Played onside by a static Senderos, the Irishman raced forwards down the left and squared to Jenas, who made no mistake from the penalty spot, firing past an exposed Fabianski.

The visitors were good value for their lead and Wenger made a couple of changes at the break.

Arsenal replaced Djourou with Sagna, and Van Persie - just back from injury - was given a break for goal-hungry Eduardo.

With Hoyte moved to centre-back, Arsenal looked a more cohesive unit and started the second half brightly enough.

It would be, though, in midfield where they also had to regain control.

Spurs, however, continued to press.

A fumble by Fabianski from a corner went unpunished, before, on 54 minutes, Keane skipped away ahead of Senderos down the right, but dragged his shot wide from just outside the box.

As the hour mark passed, Arsenal were yet to find their usual passing rhythm.

Wenger's young side were too careless in possession, with Spurs in no hurry to give the ball back to their hosts.

However, as the game entered the final 15 minutes, Arsenal suddenly looked to have found another gear, particularly through Sagna on the overlap down the right.

And, out of nothing, the Gunners were level.

Eduardo's weighted pass sent Walcott in between the centre-backs. Lee Young-Pyo came across to the edge of the box, and slid in just as Walcott shaped to shoot.

The ball bounced back up off the striker's chest and rolled past the wrong-footed Cerny - leaving Walcott to revel in his celebrations right in front of the Spurs fans.

Arsenal had their tails up, and the Emirates sensed a winner.

However, it was Defoe, on for Keane, who could easily have put one in at the other end but he blazed over from Lennon's low cross at the far post.




Ramos: Robinson not finished


Juande Ramos dropped Paul Robinson to the bench for the Carling Cup clash at Arsenal but insisted it was not the end of the goalkeeper's career at Tottenham Hotspur.
Robinson has been guilty of high-profile errors this season, the latest on Saturday against Reading, and the head coach finally lost patience ahead of the biggest game of Spurs' season so far.

After the first leg of the semi-final finished 1-1, Ramos said: 'There are 24 to 25 players in the squad and they all have to play at some point.

'He's a good goalkeeper, which he has demonstrated. We all know what a good goalkeeper he is.'

The Spurs head coach could not guarantee recalling Robinson for Saturday's clash against Chelsea, and his replacement, Radek Cerny, did nothing wrong against Arsenal.

He saved in the first half from Nicklas Bendtner and could do nothing about Theo Walcott's leveller to cancel out Jermaine Jenas' opener.

'Ruthless decisions are always dangerous,' admitted Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who himself persisted with his youngsters. He also gave the captaincy to Philippe Senderos ahead of former skipper Gilberto.

Wenger was relived to come away with a draw but he was counting the cost of injuries to four of his players.

Johan Djourou (groin), Senderos (knee) and Robin van Persie (thigh) will have to be assessed and Walcott picked up an ankle knock but it is not thought to be serious.

Along with Emmanuel Eboue, Kolo Toure and Alexandre Song away for the African Nations Cup, Wenger faces selection problems, particularly in central defence.

'We've suddenly lost six players,' said Frenchman Wenger.

When asked who will play at centre-back against Birmingham on Saturday, he joked: 'Me.'

Arsenal will be protecting their unbeaten record at home this season when they face Alex McLeish's side, although Spurs gave them a genuine scare.

Jenas gave Ramos' side the lead before the break and only a fortuitous goal from Walcott ensured parity for the White Hart Lane leg later this month.

The Arsenal youngster's finish was blocked by Young-Pyo Lee but went in off his stomach, denying Spurs a first win over their rivals since 1999.

'I thought we deserved to win the game,' said Spurs skipper Ledley King. 'We knew they would come back at us, they always seem to come back and we are disappointed we didn't get the win.

'It's half the job done at the moment. It will be a tough game (in the second leg) but we're ready for it.'

Wenger added: 'I believe it was a good result considering Tottenham created more chances.

'We were defensively strong in the second half and showed resilience - 2-0 would have killed the game for us.'

FA Cup: Tottenham 2 Reading 2

Tottenham and Reading served up another thriller in a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane, but it was a miserable afternoon for England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.


Robinson failed to deal with Stephen Hunt's free-kick for the opening goal in the FA Cup third-round clash and then failed to hold on to Leroy Lita's shot for Hunt's equaliser.

Dimitar Berbatov had scored twice between the errors, before Tom Huddlestone was dismissed late on.

It means a replay at the Madejski Stadium, which helps neither side in a period of congested fixtures - but fans will not mind if there is more entertainment.• Ramos cool on Robinson


Spurs head coach Juande Ramos had written in his programme notes that he wanted another victory over Reading but 'in a less stressful fashion'.

There were never going to be the 10 goals that both sides produced here in the Premier League clash last week - yet both sides seemed intent on attacking again.

The 6-4 thriller was not the only omen pointing towards an exciting game, with Steve Coppell fielding a reserve side as predicted.

There was no place for Dave Kitson, who earlier in the week suggested he was focused on the league rather than the cup. Fringe players such as Lita and Liam Rosenior were given a chance instead.

Spurs had new signing Chris Gunter on the bench, but Ramos was true to his word in picking his strongest side, with Ledley King and Michael Dawson reunited as a centre-back partnership.

The excitement started within two minutes when Hunt and Bobby Convey broke, with Lita having a glimpse of goal but Jermaine Jenas slid in and blocked on the edge of the area.

Spurs countered in the next move and Aaron Lennon skipped beyond Reading's defence, but Robbie Keane could not get on the end of the England winger's cross.

Keane was found again, this time by Berbatov after a mistake by Andre Bikey, but his finish slipped wide with the goal at his mercy.

Spurs have been woeful at defending set-pieces this season, although none of the defenders could be blamed for the opener in the 25th minute when Didier Zokora had fouled Shane Long around 40 yards out.

Hunt is no stranger to goal-line controversy after his strike against Sunderland - and his speculative free-kick dipping under the crossbar set off another debate.

Robinson should have dealt with it, even with Bikey closing in, yet the momentum dragged the England goalkeeper back and the assistant referee flagged for a goal. Replays could not determine whether the whole ball crossed the line.

Spurs' response was swift, with Berbatov grabbing the leveller in the 28th minute. Lennon's reverse pass found him beyond the Reading defence and the Bulgaria striker crashed in his finish off the crossbar and post.

It was then a similar end-to-end game that fans saw last week.

Berbatov went wide with a scissors kick from Jenas' cross. Then the midfielder latched onto Keane's flick, but Adam Federici was down well to save.

Jenas was sent through again in the last minute of the first half and Federici was down again smartly.

There was no shortage of action when play was restarted after the interval.

Spurs were ahead in the 48th minute when Keane was played behind the Reading defence but was blocked by Rosenior in the process of shooting.

Keane had missed his last two penalties, so Berbatov stepped up and beat Federici, despite the Australian diving the right way.

Keane had the ball in the net when he followed in Berbatov's shot from the edge of the area, but the Republic of Ireland striker was ruled offside.

He was close again just after the hour mark when Pascal Chimbonda cross from the right, but he was then replaced by Adel Taarabt.

Berbatov had the scent of a hat-trick when Chimbonda crossed again, but Hunt and Bikey were on the goal-line to deny him.

Reading continued to threaten and Robinson took out Dawson when clearing a long ball as Lita lurked.

Lita played a crucial role in Reading's equaliser, cutting in from left and shooting at Robinson's near post. Robinson could not hold and Hunt tapped in the rebound from a tight angle.

Huddlestone was brought on for Steed Malbranque and was involved in an ugly incident with Convey where he appeared to clash heads with his opponent. Referee Mark Clattenburg gave him a straight red card.




Ramos cool on Robinson


Tottenham head coach Juande Ramos is confident Fabio Capello will judge Paul Robinson on more than the miserable afternoon the goalkeeper had against Reading.
Although Robinson has been guilty of high-profile errors, he has also shown glimpses of a return to form, which Ramos believes Capello will take note of.

'It's up to Capello to say what he feels,' said Ramos. 'I don't think he is going to judge any player on one game, he's going to look at his characteristics overall.

'It's the team that lets in goals. Sometimes it's the responsibility of one player or another but at the end of the day the team concedes the goal.

'We've got a squad of 20-odd players and we have to look at them all and how they play.

'Some have good games, others not so good - we have to look at solutions to produce the best performance we can.'

Reading boss Coppell fielded a weakened starting XI but was impressed with the work of his reserves.

'I've got 20-odd pros that I consider part of the first-team squad,' he said.

'At any one time I could be called upon to use them - and every team in the Premier League uses more than 20 players in a season.

'I need to know that they are up to speed and ready to go. They showed that today.

'We got some lucky breaks but when we got a handle on the way we were playing, we made it difficult for them. It was never going to be easy for them.

'I thought we'd get a chance to snatch it and we got some good crosses in.

'But they are good players and for us to come back, they showed me in the best possible way - not through articles in the newspapers - that they have a commitment and want to play a full part in the season.'

Coppell insisted he would continue with his selection policy, even if Reading made the latter stages.

'Yes I would, 100%,' he confirmed.

The replay at the Madejski Stadium means Spurs' Premier League clash against Chelsea is set to be moved to next Saturday, two days earlier than planned.

Coppell is relishing another tie, adding: 'In many ways you don't want another game but you are not going to be physically tested with the workload - it is well within us.

'An extra game is no big deal for us. We'll have to have a different game plan at home, we'll have to take the game to them more.'

Aston Villa 2 Tottenham 1

Martin Laursen atoned for a dreadful first-half miss by scoring a late winner for Aston Villa as they maintained their push for a European place with a 2-1 home win over Tottenham.

The Denmark international shot over from close range with the goal at his mercy, before Olof Mellberg broke the deadlock four minutes before the interval.

Jermain Defoe looked to have rescued a point for Spurs when he volleyed home after 79 minutes in only his second league start of the campaign, but Laursen had the final say with his fifth goal of the campaign.

It means Villa are unbeaten during the festive period with eight points from their four-match spell.


• Villa desire impresses O'Neill


Once again Martin O'Neill's side emphasised how effective they are at set-pieces with the double strike from Mellberg and Laursen.

They have scored more goals from dead-ball situations than any other Premier League side, with 18 of their 37 goals this season from corners or free-kicks.

Villa deserved their win and they would have not needed Laursen's late effort had they converted several gilt-edged chances.

Spurs struggled to contain the threat of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young, who was also a rock-solid performer in his defensive role.

The visitors had scored 11 goals in their previous two games, but they posed little threat for long periods.

Villa were soon on the offensive and after five minutes the recalled Luke Moore, starting for the first time since early November, missed a golden chance.

Agbonlahor got in behind the defence before checking back in favour of Stiliyan Petrov, whose first-time ball into the box picked out Moore.

The former England Under-21 striker turned sharply past Michael Dawson but then dragged his shot wide of the far post when he should have at least hit the target.

A first-time flick from Moore then found Agbonlahor in space on the edge of the Tottenham box, but he pulled his shot wide of the post.

Paul Robinson looked unconvincing when punching away a hard-driven corner from Young and in pushing out another dipping free-kick by the same player.

Spurs midfielder Steed Malbranque became the first player to be booked after 23 minutes for a touchline challenge on Moore.

Villa continued to look the more threatening and central defender Laursen should have put them ahead.

Petrov's low cross into the near post was only half-cleared to the unmarked Dane eight yards out, but he managed to loft the ball over the crossbar.

Dawson was having problems containing Agbonlahor and became the second Tottenham player to be cautioned after clattering into the back of the Villa striker.

It was no surprise when Mellberg broke the deadlock after 41 minutes with his second goal of the season.

Young won yet another free-kick after being fouled by Kevin Prince-Boating and his centre was met by the unmarked Mellberg, who headed past Robinson into the corner of the net.

Tottenham retaliated and Carson blocked a fierce shot from Dimitar Berbatov after the ball had broken into his path from a Jenas free-kick.

Spurs head coach Juande Ramos waited only eight minutes of the second half before introducing top scorer Robbie Keane in place of the ineffective Aaron Lennon.

Villa defender Curtis Davies was relieved when he deflected a shot from Keane over his own crossbar.

Spurs enjoyed more of the pressure than in the opening 45 minutes, but the better opportunities still fell to Villa.

Moore missed his second clear-cut chance when he sliced his shot wide from Petrov's low cross and Tottenham had penalty claims rejected after a challenge by Davies on Keane.

Defoe levelled matters with an opportunist strike, but then Laursen had the final say to keep Villa in the hunt for at least a UEFA Cup place.



Villa desire impresses O'Neill


Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill hailed his side's 'fantastic desire' after they left it late to see off Tottenham at Villa Park.
Jermain Defoe looked to have secured a point for the visitors when he cancelled out Olof Mellberg's opener but Martin Laursen popped up with five minutes remaining to maintain Villa's fine form over the festive period.

They have now claimed eight points from their four games and are well poised to make a push for a Champions League spot.

'I was worried before the game because Tottenham have been in fantastic form,' O'Neill told Sky Sports.

'I was concerned about our energy because of the big efforts in games we've played recently.

'I thought our energy might drop a little but we showed fantastic desire.

'No-one epitomised that more than Laursen. He was incredible tonight.'

Mellberg feels his side's form over Christmas will be crucial to how they perform in the second half of the campaign.

'It's a very important victory,' he said.

'We were talking about the period at Christmas and last season we didn't do that well and we struggled after that.

'These games are massive, especially Tottenham. It's a big win and to get a win at home is important.'

Tottenham assistant coach Gus Poyet said the Spurs side paid the price for defensive errors, claiming the team panic when faced with corners or free-kicks.

'We conceded two goals from set-pieces again. It is not about individuals. Week-in, week-out it is a different player so it becomes a team problem,' he said.

'We didn't play well in the first half. I think we were lucky to be only 1-0 down at half-time.

'It was a great effort by the players and a great understanding of the system by the players to come back but as soon as it is a corner or a free-kick [out] wide it is panic.'

Poyet also dismissed the speculation about star striker Dimitar Berbatov wanting to leave the club in the transfer window.

'He is under contract. All of you love rumours. There is nothing on the table and there is nothing happening,' added the Uruguayan.

'It is not a problem for us. We are happy with Berba, he is here and it is no drama.

'We want to improve and we want to go to a better level - he has to stay.'