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Spurs press title credentials
Those who have been struggling to comprehend the notion that Tottenham Hotspur are on course to win the Premier League title may have to realign their thought process as their latest victory confirmed they will carry the London challenge into the second half of this season.
As the once bright lights of Chelsea and Arsenal fade into the distance, Harry Redknapp's rampant Spurs moved level on points with Manchester United and within three of an increasingly unsteady Manchester City at the top of the table, as they secured a vital win from the game in hand they have had up their sleeves since the first weekend of this campaign.
Now, with 18 games left to play, it could be argued that the victors in this game are the form team in the Premier League as with the Manchester giants showing alarming signs of frailties in the last month, injury-hit Spurs have maintained their charge.
Goals from Aaron Lennon and a deflected long-range effort from Beniot Assou-Ekotto secured another home win for Spurs against a blunt Everton side on this crucial Wednesday evening in North London to leave the team that has specialised in flattering to deceive for a generation within sight of a prize not even their most biased follower could have dreamed up just a few months ago.
"We are right up there with the Manchester clubs now and I keep saying anything is possible for us this season," said Redknapp, clearly eager to downplay his side's title chances. "I still say our main target is to get back into the Champions League, but you look at the table now and we have to have a chance if we keep it going.
"Make no mistake, this was a big win for us. Everton played an attacking team and had a real go, but we managed to get on top and ended up turning in another good performance. The first goal was key for us and once we got that, we always felt as if we would get the win.
"Where can we end up this season? Who knows. All I know is we are playing some great stuff at the moment and if you can't enjoy the football we are playing at the moment then you must have something wrong with you."
A palpable mood of tension rippled around the normally atmospheric White Hart Lane arena prior to kick-off and the nerves oozing from Spurs followers was hardly helped by an early chance to Everton, as Louis Saha spurned a decent opportunity after a mistake from an edgy Younes Kaboul.
To his credit, Everton boss David Moyes started with an ambitious 4-4-2 formation rather than the conservative one-striker policy so many visiting teams adopt against Spurs these days and it took Redknapp's men a full 25 minutes to carve out a clear opening, with Gareth Bale and Emmanuel Adebayor so nearly combining in devastatingly speedy fashion.
A couple of Spurs penalty appeals looked set to provide the most pressing talking points of an entertaining scoreless first half, yet Redknapp's team had scored in their previous 18 league games and they continued that run as Lennon took advantage of a rare error by Leighton Baines to hand his side a 35th minute lead. The goalbound shot may have benefitted from a deflection, but that mattered little to the home fans who could breathe with joy at last.
If 'efficient' rather than 'convincing' summed up Tottenham's first half effort, they clicked through the gears after the break, with Bale and Lennon firing an unusually edgy White Hart Lane choir into full voice as they came close to carving out the decisive second goal.
That strike duly arrived as an Assou-Ekotto's shot flew into the top corner of Tim Howard's goal, via a deflection off Tim Cahill after 63 minutes, inspiring wild celebrations from the Spurs bench as they raced en-mass from their positions to toast a goal that confirmed their title challenge needed to be treated with genuine respect. The goalscorer also lapped up his rare moment of scoring glory in a grand manner.
"The second goal from Benni was fantastic for us," beamed Redknapp. "He couldn't have hit it any better. We were right behind it and you could see it going into the top corner. It was a great moment. The lad has been fantastic for me all season and he has worked hard for that."
The visitors had late claims for a penalty waved away by referee Martin Atkinson, but the truth was they had not done enough to claim anything from a game that became comfortable for Spurs after the break.
"We did okay, but didn't make the most of our chances," stated Everton boss Moyes. "Goals are a problem for us at the moment, but you have to say Spurs are a good side and that is why they are right in the mix to win the title this season. We have them a good game, but you have to take opportunities against opposition like this."
Assuming Spurs continue their winning run on home soil and beat struggling Wolves this Saturday, the odds are they will take on an unsteady Manchester City side at the Etihad Stadium the following weekend with the prize of top spot in the Premier League within their grasp. Title contenders? You better believe it.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Jake Livermore. Filling in for Scott Parker and Sandro in the vital holding midfield role, 21-year-old Livermore did his job with calm efficiency. He looks like a star in the making in an impressive Spurs squad. "He was fantastic tonight," was Redknapp's tribute to his young charge. "The boy has a great attitude and he can go a long way in this game."
TRANSFER RUMOUR: The talk in the White Hart Lane press room was of Spurs selling Roman Pavlyuchenko back to his native Russia and Tottenham replacing him with Marseille's Loic Remy this month. It would provide this already impressive squad with additional firepower.
EVERTON VERDICT: The visitors had fleeting chances to get a foothold in this game, but they lacked the cutting edge to derail Tottenham's title charge. Louis Saha, in particular, looks shorn of confidence. Sadly for manager Moyes, he does not have the finances to shake up his season in this transfer window.
TOTTENHAM VERDICT: Even without injured stars William Gallas, Ledley King, Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone and Sandro, Redknapp could still name a powerful starting line-up and an equally potent selection on his replacements bench. It confirmed that Spurs have all the ingredients to challenge for the title as what looked like an all-Manchester party has to entertain an unfamiliar gate-crasher after all.
