Tottenham do enough to regain momentum

ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP Tottenham 2 Everton 0: EVERTON ARE supposed to enjoy themselves at Spurs. David Moyes' team had won on each of their previous three visits, but, last night, in keeping with their miserable recent form, they found themselves unable to force the breakthrough that might have energised their season, while at the back they remain an accident waiting to happen.

They worked the goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes and they departed with some regrets, chief among them the concession of the penalty which Robbie Keane eventually put away for the second goal. They cannot have been too thrilled, either, at the manner in which Tom Huddlestone was allowed to saunter on to the end of a quick break to rattle home the first.

Tottenham, however, were value for the victory, which carried them into the quarter-finals of the English League Cup. With Huddlestone in imperious form and even David Bentley showing the touch of old, their supporters could smile once more after Saturday’s shock loss to Stoke. The momentum is back with them.

Everton’s purple kit was not the only thing that caught the eye at the outset. Both managers had signalled their intent by fielding virtually the strongest teams available to them and while there were absentees through injury and suspension, there was sufficient class on show to offer hope to supporters of both clubs.

Moyes had set up to take the game to Tottenham; his line-up bristled with attack-minded players and the first chance of the evening fell to them. From a Lucas Neill throw-in Marouane Fellaini moved the ball on to Louis Saha who hooked speculatively on the volley and over his shoulder.

The Frenchman did not make the connection that he desired, but the looping effort was on target and it forced Gomes back and into an athletic tip over the crossbar.

Gomes, as ever, mixed the sublime with the ridiculous, his distribution being poor for most of the match. In a brief spell in the first half the Brazilian threw wildly to start a fast break yet succeeded only in picking out one of Everton’s limited-edition shirts – worn in aid of the charity Liverpool Unites. He then almost saw a clearance charged down before he sliced another into touch.

Tottenham gradually took control and they might have led to an opener before Huddlestone’s goal had Roman Pavlyuchenko not looked so jittery.

Redknapp had recalled the Russian, with Peter Crouch carrying a knock, and made it clear that he expected a performance.

Pavlyuchenko heard supportive chants from the crowd but on two occasions in the first half he snatched at chances, the first after he had streaked through on goal.

It was annoying for Moyes that Huddlestone’s goal should come on the break, and after Tottenham had repelled an Everton set-piece.

Moments earlier Keane had hit a post following an embarrassing miskick by Sylvain Distin but this time his role was that of creator.

He led Spurs over the halfway line and floated an inviting pass out wide to Bentley, whose cross eluded Keane and Pavlyuchenko, but Huddlestone, arriving on the far side, thumped an emphatic left-foot drive past Tim Howard.

The tie was intriguing enough, with chances regularly being carved out, and anybody who doubted the commitment ought to have asked Tottenham’s Michael Dawson how he felt after a coming together with Yakubu Ayegbeni. The big Everton striker does not do gentle, or half-measures.

Everton pressed and first Tim Cahill and then the substitute Jo brought reflex saves out of Gomes. The Brazilian’s stop from Jo, who had been released by Fellaini, was of the highest order.

Tottenham might have felt it was going to be their night given the manner of their second goal.

Keane appeared merely to have tangled legs with Distin but when the Irishman went down the referee pointed to the penalty spot.

Keane rarely misses but here his kick was weak and too close to Howard, who pushed it out. Cue an unholy scramble during which the ball ricocheted, implausibly, to Keane, who lashed it high into the net. Little wonder he celebrated by crossing himself repeatedly.

Gomes made further saves from Fellaini and a back header from his own defender Alan Hutton late on, but Everton could not get the goal to set up a finish.

Guardian Service

TOTTENHAM: Gomes, Hutton, Bassong, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Bentley, Huddlestone, Palacios, Bale, Keane, Pavlyuchenko. Subs: Button, Jenas, Naughton, Corluka, Dervite, Parrett, Kane.

EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Heitinga, Distin, Neill, Cahill,Gosling, Rodwell, Fellaini, Saha, Yakubu. Subs: Nash, Jo, Coleman, Duffy, Agard, Baxter, Wallace.

Referee: L Mason(England).