Jermain Defoe thanks Spurs fans after today's win over Everton at the Lane

Published: 9 February, 2014
By DAN CARRIER at White Hart Lane

Premier League
SPURS 1, EVERTON 0

SPURS leap-frogged fellow top-four challengers Everton today after defeating their visitors 1-0.

Manager Tim Sherwood expressed his delight, that after a poor first half that saw Everton dominate, his side woke up and won all three points through an Emmanuel Adebayor strike.

Speaking after the game, he said the three points could be vital in May. He said: “We need to beat the teams around us if we have a chance of making the top four.”

He added he was disappointed with the sluggish start his side made and had harsh words with the players at half-time.

He said: “I said to them, we were waiting to get beat. I wanted them to put pressure higher up the field. We were playing 15 yards too deep. In the second half, we played much better, much quicker and we showed courage and character.”

Sherwood singled out his goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for a string of first-half saves that kept the score even.

“Hugo kept us in it,” he said.

“We have to address it. We started slowly here against Manchester City and it happened again today.”

Spurs rode their luck for much of the first half. Lloris pulled off his weekly world-class save, leaping across the goal to keep out a Leon Osman shot, and watched as Kevin Mirallas almost capped off a long run with a curling effort.

Spurs found the going tough: Christian Eriksen came close with a long-range free-kick, and Adebayor nearly found a killer touch from a wicked Danny Rose cross, but, overall, Spurs had their backs to the wall.

The half-time cuppa gave the home side a filip and they began brightly. However, all too often the final ball was lacking, and Everton, too, looked dangerous as they went forward.

On 65, Mousa Dembele, Tottenham's most creative force of the afternoon, won a free-kick in a central position. Kyle Walker had the nous to spin it forward quickly and Adebayor's first touch took him into space. His well-struck left-foot shot left Tim Howard with no chance.

Everton huffed and puffed as they tried to find a way back and Spurs survived a penalty call in the dying moments when substitute Etienne Capoue's enthusiasm saw him dive in on Seamus Coleman. But it was not to be for the visitors, and the result hoists Spurs back into fifth, three points off Liverpool.

SPURS: Lloris, Walker, Rose, Vertonghen, Lennon, (Defoe, 84), Paulinho (Capoue, 67), Adebayor, Dembele, Dawson, Eriksen, (Townsend, 58) Bentaleb.
Subs: Friedel, Kaboul, Soldado, Capoue, Naughton, Townsend, Defoe.
Attendance: 35,944

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

JERMAIN Defoe enjoyed a post-match lap of honour today as he bade a final farewell to the home fans before departing to the MLS in Canada.

It was touching to see him given a shoulder ride around the ground by his teammates. This was the pint-sized striker‘s last Premier League appearance at the Lane, and a 10-minute cameo saw him almost snaffle a farewell goal when he drove an effort which Howard blocked with his feet.

The ground rose as one to say goodbye, and thanks for the memories.

This may have been charming, but in the cold light of day, his departure leaves Spurs on thin ice. With Roberto Soldado seemingly so short of confidence he's relegated to the role of unused sub, if anything should happen to Adebayor, it's going to be tough old run-in. With no Defoe as back-up, Spurs must keep fingers crossed that Soldado shakes off his disappointing debut season and starts repaying the fat transfer fee he commanded.