skip to content

  • Kick-off: 20:00
  • Venue: Goodison Park
  • Attendance: 35840
  • Referee: Marriner, A

Live Commentary

90 mins

A rare goalless draw for Spurs. They finished strongly and deserved their point. Everton's consolation is Liverpool's defeat at West Ham

90 mins

Corner for Everton. Cleared by Boateng

90 mins

It's all Spurs in the dying moments; Lennon beats Nuno Valente but his cross evades Malbranque. Into three minutes of stoppage time

89 mins

Steed Malbranque breaks into the box from Lennon's pass, but the referee says no to the appeals for a foul by Joleon Lescott

87 mins

Keepball from the visitors frustrates the home crowd. Berbatov is suddenly involved as Spurs continue to probe in Everton's half

85 mins

Tottenham are finishing strongly as the game stretches in the last five minutes

83 mins

Good passing from Spurs releases Berbatov who has a decent shot well-blocked by Phil Jagielka

82 mins

Jonathan Woodgate earns a rather harsh caution on debut for catching James Vaughan

80 mins

Into the last 10 minutes at Goodison Park

78 mins

We're heading into 'mistake or moment of magic' territory as the teams continue to cancel each other out

76 mins

The first booking goes to Jorge Nuno Valente for a high challenge on Aaron Lennon

74 mins

The tempo is gradually picking up but there is not enough fluency from either side

71 mins

Everton's first change sees James Vaughan replace Victor Anichebe

70 mins

Victor Anichebe spins and fires off a shot, deflected behind. Corner is eventually cleared by Steed Malbranque

68 mins

Aaron Lennon breaks quickly and forces a corner for Spurs. He delivers himself and gets it back. Another corner, this time easily cleared

67 mins

O'Hara concedes another corner, robbing Johnson. Commanding clearance by Woodgate

65 mins

Lee Carsley hits a drive but it is deflected for a corner. Easily cleared

63 mins

Quick interchange of passes between Steed Malbranque and Dimitar Berbatov but no shot at the end of it

61 mins

Juande Ramos makes a trademark attacking substitution; Kevin-Prince Boateng replaces Chris Gunter. Jamie O'Hara drops to left back

59 mins

Nearly the opener for Everton... Johnson pulls clear from Huddlestone and forces a good save from Cerny. The resulting corner is cleared by Spurs

57 mins

Henriques Manuel Fernandes shoots high and wide after claiming a loose ball

55 mins

Spurs have not been involved in a 0-0 draw since October 2006... hard to tell who looks more likely to break the deadlock in this one

53 mins

Aaron Lennon beats Nuno Valente and delivers a decent cross but Tim Howard claims well

52 mins

Berbatov takes on Lescott but goes to ground too easily and the attack fizzles out. Some better passing from Spurs in this second period

49 mins

Phil Neville gifts the ball to Berbatov, who picks out Robbie Keane. His shot is easily saved by Tim Howard

47 mins

Silky skills from Arteta on the byline. He lifts a cross to the back post but Anichebe can't reach it

45 mins

No changes at the break. The second half begins

45 mins

No goals, no bookings and one corner. Surely there will be more incident in the second period

45 mins

Andre Marriner blows for the break

44 mins

Spurs enjoy a spell of possession in Everton territory but the move breaks down. No great tempo in Tottenham's play

42 mins

Everton's pressure has eased but Spurs will be happy to go in at half time goalless

39 mins

Jenas catches Fernandes, conceding a free-kick 35 yards out. Arteta shoots over

37 mins

Very little threat from Spurs on the break; birthday boy Berbatov (27 today) has not had a sniff

35 mins

That incident has lifted the home side - they are camped in the Spurs half but the visitors manage to clear. Everton totally in charge now

33 mins

Loud appeals from the home fans for a penalty; Johnson gets in behind Huddlestone and goes down as the players come together. Waved away by the referee

30 mins

Tottenham's play is still disjointed and their prolific front pair have had little involvement

28 mins

Best move of the game. Arteta creates space brilliantly, finds Phil Neville who whips in a cross for Johnson. Should of done better, shooting too near to Cerny

26 mins

Woodgate to the rescue... Leighton Baines fastens onto a loose ball and hits the target but the debutant blocks. Everton are starting to get on top

23 mins

Nearly an opening for Everton as Anichebe cushions a header for Andrew Johnson, but the ball runs free

21 mins

Leighton Baines makes Radek Cerny work but it is a comfortable take for the keeper

19 mins

Still no hint of a chance at Goodison - the front men are just not involved

16 mins

First corner of the game goes to the home side. Mikel Arteta sends the ball straight out at the back post

14 mins

Nuno Valente is late into Pascal Chimbonda and the physio is on again. He's ok but Spurs can make nothing of the free-kick

12 mins

Anichebe is fine to continue but the early fluency in the game is broken up by a flurry of fouls

10 mins

Anichebe takes a knock on the head in challenging Jermaine Jenas. Physio is on and the game is halted

8 mins

Phil Neville floats in a free-kick to a dangerous area but Anichebe is penalised for a foul on Tom Huddlestone

5 mins

Everton's first spell of pressure ends with another Woodgate clearance, intercepting before Victor Anichebe can pounce

3 mins

Spurs are bossing the early stages, enjoying plenty of possession.

1 mins

Jonathan Woodgate gets involved early, winning a succession of headers

0 mins

Slightly late kicking off but referee Andre Marriner gets us underway

0 mins

Players are on their way out. Great atmosphere at Goodison with a good travelling contingent of Spurs fans

0 mins

The Toffees are seeking their first double over Spurs since 1985/86; the visitors have lost just one of their last 10 clashes at Goodison Park

0 mins

Tottenham team: Cerny, Chimbonda, Gunter, Woodgate, Huddlestone, Lennon, Jenas, O'Hara, Malbranque, Keane, Berbatov

0 mins

Everton line-up: Howard, Neville, Valente, Lescott, Jagielka, Arteta, Carsley, Fernandes, Baines, Johnson, Anichebe

0 mins

Everton are without the suspended Tony Hibbert and Tim Cahill but Leighton Baines returns from injury. Spurs give a debut to Jonathan Woodgate and Chris Gunter earns a first Premier League start

Match Report

Everton's top-four ambitions will be severely tested when they entertain a resurgent Tottenham Hotspur in midweek.

The Toffees have leapfrogged city rivals Liverpool in recent weeks to claim the final Champions League qualification spot, but another three-point haul is far from guaranteed on Wednesday night.

However, despite three successive league victories, Toffees boss David Moyes will have to rally his players after they came within touching distance of a place in the Carling Cup Final last week.

Only a narrow 1-0 semi-final second leg defeat on their last outing, prevented the Merseysiders from securing a historic first ever place in the League Cup final.

But one player refusing to be despondent is captain Phil Neville, who has challenged his team-mates to bounce back, starting with the visit of Spurs.

He said: "I've said what a time it is at the moment to be an Everton fan and Everton player so let's not get too despondent - we've got to a major cup semi-final and let's make this the beginning of something special.

"It's what successful teams do - get over defeats and move onto the next challenge."

Moyes has a full-strength squad to select from with only Africa Cup of Nations absentees Joseph Yobo, Steven Pienaar and Yakubu unavailable to the manager.

Victor Anichebe and James Vaughan are both pushing for a starting place in attack, while Tony Hibbert could return at right-back in place of Nuno Valente.

Spurs would appear to be a different side to the one that lost 3-1 at home to the Toffees in early August.

The arrival of Juande Ramos as head coach has led to an upturn in fortunes which has seen the White Hart Lane outfit pull away from the drop zone and earn a place in the Carling Cup Final.

Spurs were beaten 3-1 by Manchester United on Sunday to exit the FA Cup at the fourth round stage, but the scoreline flattered the Red Devils who were often opened up by the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Aaron Lennon.

In their last Premier League outing Spurs were comfortable 2-0 winners over Sunderland with the latter pair both on the scoresheet.

However, since then Ramos has seen his defensive options severely reduced with Tom Huddlestone and Jamie O'Hara forced to play in a makeshift back four at Old Trafford in the absence of Ledley King, Pascal Chimbonda and Younes Kaboul.

England defender Jonathan Woodgate could make his debut following his transfer from Middlesbrough, but Gareth Bale and Benoit Assou-Ekotto will definitely miss out through injury.

Everton

Tottenham Hotspur

Corners

7 2

Fouls

14 12

Goal attempts

11 4

Shots off target

5 0

Offsides

0 2

advertisment

advertisement