Source: Telegraph
Tottenham Hotspur 2 Everton 1: match report
Tottenham returned to the top four in the Premier League but only after living on their nerves at White Hart Lane. [LNB]After Roman Pavlyuchenko had given Spurs an early lead, Luka Modric added a stunning second goal. [LNB] Related ArticlesSpurs duo struck by mystery virusTottenham Hotspur v Everton: previewPremier League tableTelegraph player raterPremier League fixturesSport on televisionBut Everton responded with an early second half goal, from Ayegbeni Yakubu then squandered a succession of late chances to claim a point. [LNB]Everton, though, were missing Louis Saha, their leading scorer on the day the Frenchman was recalled by Raymond Domenec for the friendly against Spain. He joined Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini on the sidelines, with David Moyes making five changes from the team beaten 3-0 by Sporting Lisbon on Thursday. [LNB]Spurs were without Ledley King and Aaron Lennon but Pavlyuchenko was given his first Premier League start after scoring four goals in his last two appearances. [LNB]Jermain Defoe was able to feature after recovering from a hamstring injury while Wilson Palacios and Vedran Corluka, laid low by a stomach virus, were also fit. [LNB]And Spurs wasted little time in making their mark when, in the 11th minute, Pavlyuchenko claimed his latest goal. [LNB]Sebastien Bassong intercepted a pass deep inside the Spurs half and fed Tom Huddlestone. His long pass sent Defoe clear and the England striker rolled the ball intelligently for Pavlyuchenko to charge the ball into the bottom corner. [LNB]Everton, though, almost responded six minutes later when Heurelho Gomes dropped Leighton Baines' cross. Yakubu tried to prod the ball home but Michael Dawson cleared off the line. [LNB]Spurs responded with a snap shot from Pavlyuchenko which Tim Howard saved well, while Niko Kranjcar squandered a headed opportunity, from Gareth Bale's cross. [LNB]But in the 28th minute Spurs added their second with a goal made in Croatia. Modric was the instigator, with Corluka and Kranjcar conspiring to return the ball to the winger, whose audacious chip flew over Howard and in off the underside of the cross bar. [LNB]Before the interval Everton wasted a chance when, from Phil Neville's cross, Jack Rodwell directed his header woefully wide. [LNB]Everton brought on Phil Jagielka, for Leon Osman, at the interval but still Spurs dominated with Tom Huddlestone finishing a good build-up with a shot off target. [LNB]But the midfielder hurt his ankle in the process and manager Harry Redknapp watched on with concern as he left on a stretcher, with Younes Kaboul his replacement. [LNB]And soon afterwards, in the 55th minute, Everton scored. Mikel Arteta's corner was helped on by Rodwell and after Pavlyuchenko failed to clear, Yakubu bundled the ball home. [LNB]Seconds later Everton, who came back from a two-goal deficit against Spurs at Goodison Park, were denied the equaliser when Gomes saved well from Rodwell. [LNB]Spurs were looking edgy and lacking confidence, not for the first time at White Hart Lane, and when Steven Pienaar broke from his own half, he threatened to level, but Gomes stretched to save. [LNB]There could not have been a better chance to level than from a 77th minute opportunity when Rodwell fed Landon Donovan and the American stabbed the ball wide from two yards when it would have been easier to score. [LNB]But even with an extra six added minutes Tottenham held on to claim the three points necessary to move back into Champions League contention. [LNB]
