Match Report: Everton Misfire to Hand Tottenham Victory

Everton's lack of a renowned centre forward was their downfall as they dominated this six-pointer in the race for Champions League qualification at White Hart Lane but came away with nothing. There were flashes of brilliance aplenty from the Toffees' abundance of talented, attacking midfielders, but a lack of end product eventually cost them. They were made to pay for their wastefulness, with Emmanuel Adebayor netting a 65th minute winner.

The effort was the Togolese internationals first Premier League goal at White Hart Lane since he scored against Everton ten months ago, as he showed a clinical edge that has perhaps been lacking from this Spurs side too often this season. It may have been over an hour into the game but was Tottenham's first shot on target.

By that time, Everton had missed no fewer than nine chances themselves, exerting an authority on the game that gave the impression that they were, in fact, the home team. After the match, Roberto Martínez stated that his intention had been to come to White Hart Lane and for his side to play their natural game. That they indeed, did, in that they moved the ball both more quickly and more efficiently than their opponents to carve out chances, but again without the injured Romelu Lukaku, Martínez had good reason to lambast his side's failure to hit the back of the net.

Both managers praised the performance of Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal, but it is fair to say - possibly because we have come to learn how good he can be - that the Frenchman may have been disappointed not to have kept a clean sheet, with his best save coming from a Leon Osman effort that he would have expected to stop. Kevin Mirallas and Osman blazed other chances off target and Spurs withstood the siege to record their tenth clean sheet of the season; only West Ham (12), Arsenal and Chelsea (both 11) have shut opponents out more times in the Premier League.

It is now only 2 wins in 6 and 7 wins in their last 17 for Everton; form hardly indicative of their challenge for a top 4 place. Now 5 points behind rivals Liverpool, their Spanish manager replied that he thought the team were 'fighting themselves' when asked if he thought they were out of the battle for top 4. Successive losses, without scoring, against their rivals for that final Champions League spot, suggests they might well be out of it.

For Tottenham, though, this was a huge three points earned. They made another slow start to the game - they have scored only one first half goal in their last 6 matches in all competitions - but grew into the game, coming out from a half time chat with manager Tim Sherwood looking to press higher up the pitch and stop Everton creating chances at source. The visitors' only shot after Spurs went ahead was a 35-yarder from Ross Barkley which failed to trouble Lloris, and Spurs held on for a vital victory.

It was Tottenham's first win of the season against any of the other teams in the current top 6, and it will have done a great deal to boost the side's chances of attaining that lucrative fourth-placed finish, as well as morale after confidence-sapping defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City. Now with only 13 games to go, Spurs have made themselves the more likely than Everton to achieve their goal this season.

Who will win the battle for fourth? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below