Tottenham Hotspur 2 Everton 2: Spurs secure vital point

This was Spurs’ first game since the injuries to Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale and they were desperately short of pace and width for much of the afternoon. It is banal to say that Spurs missed Bale but, as they trailed for 34 second-half minutes, they looked like a side waiting to be saved by their heroic number 11.

There was a lanky explosive winger with that number on his back and he scored a brilliant goal, but it was Kevin Mirallas and he was playing in blue. Mirallas, like every other Everton player, played with courage and focus. He also provided the game’s singular moment of quality, seven minutes into the second half.

Mirallas received the ball from Victor Anichebe, who was unplayable throughout, just inside Spurs’ half on the right. He breezed past Scott Parker, cut inside Steven Caulker, went back outside Caulker and shot low across Hugo Lloris and into the far bottom corner, to put Everton 2-1 up.

“Mirallas scored a Gareth Bale goal,” said Moyes. “He scored one the other week against Stoke too. Or maybe Gareth Bale’s been scoring Kevin Mirallas goals.”

Everton had done well to pull themselves back into the game after conceding after just 35 seconds. Spurs were keen to impose themselves quickly and scored with their first movement, Emmanuel Adebayor connecting with Jan Vertonghen’s perfectly curled cross from the left wing.

But just four weeks on from their evisceration at home by Wigan Athletic, Everton have rediscovered their essence and even without Steven Pienaar and Marouane Fellaini they got straight back up. “It was great credit to the players they never buckled after the first goal,” said Moyes. Phil Jagielka headed in their equaliser, clambering over Vertonghen at the far post from Leighton Baines’ corner.

Once level, Everton were far tighter, with Jonny Heitinga and Darron Gibson working hard in midfield. Dembele, Clint Dempsey and Lewis Holtby shot wide from distance late in the first half but Spurs could not create anything better.

But Everton started the second half stronger and, once ahead, they defended their lead smartly. Tim Howard turned a Dembele shot onto the bar but Everton could repel most of what Spurs, missing Bale and Lennon desperately, could throw at them. The home crowd was anxious and when Dembele was taken off for Tom Huddlestone they were far from impressed.

It took Kyle Walker, taking responsibility and finally providing some width, to bring their equaliser. With four minutes left he burst past Baines down the right and swung in a cross. Dempsey left it, Adebayor controlled and shot against the post. Sigurdsson tapped in the rebound.

Spurs pushed for a winner but, in added time, Anichebe raced past Michael Dawson and Lloris had to save with his legs. Both sides were left frustrated but a draw was the right result.