Tottenham Hotspur 2 Everton 1: match report

By John Ley at White Hart Lane Published: 8:00AM GMT 01 March 2010

Mod rule: Luka Modric strikes Tottenham"s second idea opposite Everton in the Premier League compare at White Hart Lane Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Tottenham returned to the tip 4 in the Premier League but the office of Champions League football is entrance at a price. After a scintillating initial half display, Spurs lost Tom Huddlestone early in the second and stuttered to a third win in eight days. A fifth idea in 3 games from Roman Pavlyuchenko was followed by a second of overwhelming peculiarity by Luka Modric, but Ayegbeni Yakubus early second half reply done for an enthralling, mostly nervous, finale.

Huddlestone left on crutches and with a protecting feet on his right foot, with X-rays programmed for today. And physical education instructor Harry Redknapp suggested that Aaron Lennon, blank given the finish of 2009, has been systematic to rest for a serve 6 weeks whilst Jermaine Jenas will bear surgery this week. In addition, David Bentley has a ripped groin.

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Redknapp said: "I dont know how bad Toms damage is, it doesnt see all that great at the moment. Its the bottom of his leg and his foot. Hell have a indicate and well see how it is. But we are using out of executive midfield players; weve usually got 3 any way in Palacios, Tom and Jermaine Jenas.

"Jenas looks similar to carrying an operation on Wednesday probably and Wilsons on 9 bookings so the not an preferred situation. Its an area weve been light on all year really."

The stress caused by Evertons finalise could have valid worse for Spurs had Landon Donovan, s second-half substitute, not longed for one of the easier chances on suggest in the Premier League, the American anticipating the side concealment when it would have been easier to score.

Everton, blank the harmed Louis Saha, shortly came underneath conflict with Spurs forward from the 11th minute. Sebastien Bassong intercepted a pass low inside the Spurs half and fed Huddlestone. His prolonged pass sent Jermain Defoe transparent and the England striker rolled the round cleverly for Pavlyuchenko to assign it in to the bottom corner.

Everton, though, roughly responded 6 mins after when Heurelho Gomes forsaken Leighton Baines cross. Yakubu attempted to poke the round home but Michael Dawson privileged off the line.

But in the 28th notation Spurs combined their second with a idea done in Croatia. Modric was the instigator, with Vedran Corluka and Niko Kranjcar conspiring to lapse the round to the winger, whose brazen thinly slice flew over Tim Howard and in off the underside of the cranky bar.

But after Huddlestone shot and harmed his feet in the process, the diversion altered with Everton scoring inside of five mins of his departure. Mikel Artetas dilemma was helped on by Jack Rodwell and after Pavlyuchenko unsuccessful to clear, Yakubu bundled the round home.

Spurs were seeking irritable and not in confidence, not for the initial time at White Hart Lane this season, and when Steven Pienaar pennyless from his own half he in jeopardy to spin but Gomes spread out to save.

There could not have been a improved possibility to spin than from the 77th notation event when Rodwell fed Landon Donovan and the American stabbed the round far-reaching from dual yards.

David Moyes, the Everton manager, admitted: "We didn"t spin up in the initial half. You could may be contend the same thing about Tottenham in the second half."

Everton lost 3-0 in Portugal on Thursday and Moyes added: "I think we were a bit sap in the head. Obviously physically Europe took it out of us. But going out was a genuine beating to us.

Of Donovans possibility he said: "I did think it was in, yes. I thought he was going to finish it off. It was a big miss in the end."