THEY may be underdogs in the race for the Champions League places, but Everton still have plenty of bark and more than a little bite left.
After a pulsating draw with one of their major adversaries, David Moyes acknowledged that the top four odds remained stacked against his men.
But by going so agonisingly close to what would have been a huge victory at White Hart Lane, the Blues at least proved they are credible contenders.
Both sides were shorn of key figures – but you only have to compare their remaining resources to conclude that Everton had an uphill task ahead of them to take anything from North London.
Without Gareth Bale, Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and William Gallas, Spurs still had top class options throughout their patched-up team. Everton, without Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar, had a talented yet inexperienced 19-year-old in Ross Barkley and a central defender, John Heitinga, in their midfield.
You can understand precisely why their manager thinks his side are underdogs.
If their laudable ambitions of Europe ultimately fall short, it will be because the club failed to add to a thin squad in January.
When Moyes wanted to change things in the second half as resurgent Spurs threw everything at his side in the hunt for an equaliser, he had precious little by way of potentially game-changing options.
Andre Villas-Boas was able to call on England international Tom Huddlestone to beef-up his engine room, while Moyes – who had already introduced the bereft-of-form Nikica Jelavic – had only the willing running of Steven Naismith, a player who cost nothing and is at best still adjusting to life in the Premier League.
For all that the Toffees were only seven minutes away from a memorable victory against a side they have already beaten this season. If any indication was needed that they can remain in the hunt for the top four it was this.
Marshalled by the Barclays Manager of the Month for March, Everton eventually proved the more composed and better organised of the two teams despite taking time to find their feet in the contest.
They had the shock of going behind before a single minute had elapsed. Jan Vertonghen ambled forward unchallenged to send a low cross into the area which Sylvain Distin failed to clear. As Tim Howard seemed frozen to the spot, Emmanuel Adebayor stuck his long legs out and poked the ball home. Some supporters had barely taken their seat.
Such an early setback might have jolted many sides but the visitors kept calm. Even though they were struggling to find much rhythm, Everton didn’t panic and Barkley started to build on his mature substitute appearance against Stoke City.
It was a big test for the teenager, who occasionally lacked the conviction on the ball he had when he first burst onto the first-team stage almost two years ago, but he certainly played his part in Everton’s equaliser. Barkley cut expertly inside the area and drilled a low cross towards the six-yard box which Michael Dawson had to divert behind for a corner. Phil Jagielka took advantage of slack defending at the far post to climb above Vertonghen and head past Hugo Lloris.
Alas, it didn’t herald any increased fluency to Everton’s play. They remained nervy at the back, and had little outlet down the flanks, where Kevin Mirallas was initially subdued.
Instead it was the hosts who did the threatening, with boyhood Toffee Lewis Holtby pulling the strings and Adebayor remaining a handful. Holtby has the blend of youth and experience which marks him out as a player Everton should have moved for with the long-term in mind. Unfortunately they can rarely compete with Tottenham when it comes to offering bumper terms to potential new recruits.
The Blues had to rely on a slice of fortune when Darron Gibson appeared to handle Clint Dempsey’s cross. Fortunately referee Andre Marriner was unconvinced.
Everton spent most of the first half on the back foot, rarely managing to do anything constructive with the ball when they had it. Passes often went astray and Victor Anichebe had precious little credible service. Fortunately Spurs weren’t much better.
The visitors were markedly better after the break. Moyes had only just replaced the fading Barkley with Jelavic, when his side took the lead. For the second week in a row, Mirallas produced something from nothing – a spectacular solo effort to savour.
The Belgian was 35 yards from goal when he picked it up, surged forward and ghosted past three white shirts – making top class defenders like Steven Caulker and Vertonghen appear like statues – before rolling a delicious finish past Lloris.
It was sublime and he will rightly take all the plaudits again, but Anichebe too deserves credit. He had been tireless in his hold-up play; continually offering an outlet as the game wore on and providing an unmovable physical shield for the ball.
The hosts almost hit back instantly. Moussa Dembele’s shot was heading in via a deflection off Heitinga, only for Howard to masterfully push the ball onto the underside of the crossbar where it bounced away to safety.
The American’s reflexes were impressive, and he had to be on his toes for the ensuing period when Dempsey went close numerous times as Spurs continually threatened. Everton may have nabbed it on the break, when Heitinga almost turned in the loose ball at close range after Jelavic had burst into the area and been blocked.
Anichebe got the blood pumping too with a powerfully struck effort on the edge of the area after smart work from Mirallas.
But by then it was Alamo time. Tottenham poured forward and Everton had to defend valiantly, with the back four working overtime.
It seemed a matter of how long they could hold out, and infuriatingly they just failed to withstand the pressure.
Another Spurs attack was ventured, and this time Adebayor struck the post with his attempt and Gylfi Sigurdsson was on hand to convert the rebound.
Yet still the Toffees might have grabbed it. Anichebe was so close to getting the glorious winner he richly deserved only to be denied at close range by a magnificent stop from Lloris.
The Everton striker’s dismay at the final whistle was mirrored on the faces of his team-mates and the frazzled inhabitants of the away dugout. It felt like a defeat.
But when the disappointment of not seizing the opportunity has subsided, a point from the first of two vital visits to North London may not seem so bad.
They still have it all to do, but Moyes’s Everton have always been more comfortable as underdogs. With Fellaini and Pienaar now free to return, the unfancied outsiders may yet have their day.
