Tottenham 5 Everton 2: There are so many warnings against the dangers of excess over the holiday period. But try telling that to Tottenham's gleeful supporters who gorged themselves on five courses here. Make no mistake, they will be back for more in 2005.
Style and swagger, quite apart from goals, are returning to White Hart Lane and those elusive qualities adorned a battering of Everton which could so easily have been even more embarrassing for the nation's fourth-best team. For them, their detractors would say, the party looks over. It may take more than a James Beattie to revive spirits.
The good times roll for Martin Jol, who could have asserted "I told you so" in reviewing Tottenham's sixth win in seven games. Instead he called himself "a bit lucky". Tottenham's head coach was referring mainly to the extraordinary contribution of Dean Marney, playing on the right side of midfield, in his home debut. The 20-year-old had not even featured in a match-day 16 this season. Two goals - the second an absolute roof-raiser - made for a spectacular arrival.
Yet on Friday, said Jol, "We were a little concerned because (Jermain) Defoe could not play and (Michael) Brown had an injury in training. It's a bit lucky to play a young player and he scores two goals and makes one."
Defoe's absence was said to be due to a knee injury sustained against Crystal Palace. But this raised the question of why he had not been taken off in that game and there was a suspicion he was being protected at the opening of the transfer window. "It's nothing to do with that" said Jol.
Jol's transformation of Tottenham is not just due to luck or the team spirit he so encourages. The Dutchman appears to have a golden selection touch, drawing the best from his trio of strikers. Robbie Keane was desperately unlucky not to have scored a hat-trick and Frederic Kanoute, linking play beautifully, is performing at the peak of his ability.
Marney, though, was man of the moment, and Jol is enthusiastic about him. "He's a terrific talent, a complete player; he can play right back as well. I think his best position is central midfield but now I'm not so sure."
Jol also noted Marney took his second goal with the maturity of an experienced striker, looking up before curving a shot from 22 yards past Richard Wright. Even if Everton's defence allowed him to run virtually from halfway, it was a moment to savour.
Marney made his first impact with a tackle from behind on Alessandro Pistone that should have brought a booking. But the youngster's next lunge saw him volley home the opening goal amid the defensive misunderstanding that dogged Everton all afternoon.
The 18-year-old Reto Ziegler soon followed suit with an even more impressive volley before an equally eye-catching effort from Tim Cahill briefly revived Everton.
The third, killing Tottenham goal came just before the hour. Kanoute, with superb control, set up Pedro Mendes to turn inside the unhappy David Weir to detonate his shot high past Wright. The fourth was embarrassingly simple, Marney nutmegging Pistone before crossing for Keane to tap in. James McFadden's finely angled shot late on was a forlorn Everton gesture.
It was both an old and new experience for Everton, extending their barren run at Tottenham to 20 years and producing their first taste of successive league losses this season. All five Premiership defeats have been delivered by London clubs; capital punishment indeed.
David Moyes chose not to condemn them to more. "The players are as sore as I am. I'm concerned by the performance but I can't take this game in isolation this season. It would be very hard to pick out anybody who reached the standards that we're used to."
Everton's defence, albeit without the injured captain Alan Stubbs, looked more in need of reinforcement than attack, where Beattie would ease the strain on Marcus Bent, the lone runner. But Moyes praised Tottenham's attack. "Their forwards were hard work for us," he said before adding, "but it shouldn't have been as big a problem as it was today."
