By Alistair Magowan BBC Sport

Tottenham drew level on points with second-placed Manchester United, just three behind leaders Manchester City, after comfortably beating Everton.

The hosts suffered an early scare when Louis Saha fired wide, but took control and opened the scoring when Aaron Lennon cut in from the left to slot in.

Emmanuel Adebayor shot over and wide as Spurs created a number of chances.

However, pressure on the Everton goal finally told when Benoit Assou-Ekotto smashed into the corner from 30 yards.

The visitors did have a penalty appeal waved away by referee Martin Atkinson when Younes Kaboul tripped Royston Drenthe late on, but David Moyes's team suffered a fruitless evening in the capital and defeat continued their indifferent form.

Redknapp pleased with clean sheet

This game was the rearranged fixture after the original game was postponed because of the London riots.

And although Spurs suffered a sticky start to the season following defeats by their title rivals, they will be grateful to finally reduce the gap at the top to put them firmly in the Premier League title race.

Once Saha shot off-target following Kaboul's poor clearance, Spurs were dominant and should probably have taken the lead before they did.

Adebayor was the guilty party on several occasions, blazing over from a tight angle and then poking wide when the ball broke to him from an Assou-Ekotto cross.

He also mis-controlled a pass after a good break by Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale, with Tim Howard putting him under pressure.

TITLE-WINNING DEFENCE?

  • Victory over Everton earned Spurs their eighth clean sheet of the season, the same total as the whole of last season

Some of the hosts' passing and movement was a joy to watch at times, with Luka Modric ably supported by Jake Livermore, who was starting in place of the injured Scott Parker.

Van der Vaart curled the ball over before the half hour point and just as it looked like they might draw a blank in the first period Lennon broke the deadlock with his fourth of the season.

Assou-Ekotto pinged a long diagonal ball out to the right-winger, and with Leighton Baines losing the ball in its flight, the England player dribbled inside and shot left footed past Howard as the Everton defence tried to block his shot.

Coming into the game, the visitors had lost just once to Tottenham in their last eight league games, but they were soon under pressure in the second period as a marauding Bale run and shot was well saved by Howard.

Soon after, there was another isolated opportunity for Saha but his shot at the near post following Baines' centre, was deflected wide.

Moyes satisfied despite defeat

Marouane Fellaini headed over, too, in a sure sign that David Moyes had asked for an improvement at half-time.

But any hope of building on that was soon knocked into touch as Assou-Ekotto doubled the lead with a glorious strike. With little in front of him, the Cameroon international received the ball square and smashed a shot into the corner from 30 yards, although it did take a touch off Tim Cahill as it flew in.

Having set up the first goal, the Spurs left-back enjoyed a profitable night and only more waywardness by Adebayor and Bale meant the scoreline did not increase.

Drenthe's penalty appeal was the only late glimmer that Everton could muster on a disappointing night.

But having won 14 of their 20 league games so far and sitting level on points with Manchester United, Tottenham will care little as they build their title challenge.

Following this performance they may now relish the trip to Manchester City on 22 January.

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (5)

Tottenham Hotspur

  • 24 Friedel
  • 03 Bale
  • 04 Kaboul
  • 20 Dawson
  • 28 Walker
  • 32 Assou-Ekotto
  • 07 Lennon Booked (Pienaar - 77' )
  • 11 Van der Vaart
  • 14 Modric
  • 29 Livermore
  • 10 Adebayor (Pavlyuchenko - 86' )

Substitutes

  • 23 Cudicini
  • 19 Bassong
  • 21 Kranjcar
  • 25 Rose
  • 40 Pienaar
  • 09 Pavlyuchenko
  • 18 Defoe

Everton

  • 24 Howard
  • 03 Baines
  • 05 Heitinga
  • 15 Distin (Duffy - 59' )
  • 18 Neville
  • 07 Bilyaletdinov (Gueye - 82' )
  • 17 Cahill Booked
  • 25 Fellaini Booked
  • 08 Saha
  • 09 Donovan Booked
  • 28 Anichebe (Drenthe - 68' )

Substitutes

  • 01 Mucha
  • 34 Duffy
  • 10 Drenthe
  • 11 Stracqualursi
  • 14 McFadden
  • 19 Gueye
  • 27 Vellios
Ref: Atkinson
Att: 36,132

Match Stats

Shots

14 11

On target

7 4

Corners

6 4

Fouls

5 15

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +3:07 Full time

Full Time The referee ends the match.

90:00 +2:05

Short corner worked by Rafael Van der Vaart.

90:00 +1:53

Kyle Walker takes a shot. Blocked by Shane Duffy.

90:00 +1:17

Tim Cahill takes a shot. Save by Brad Friedel.

89:57

Louis Saha takes a shot from just inside the penalty box which clears the bar.

87:42

Roman Pavlyuchenko takes a shot. Blocked by Shane Duffy.

87:29

The ball is swung over by Steven Pienaar, Shane Duffy manages to make a clearance.

85:49

Direct free kick taken by Luka Modric.

85:49 Substitution

Substitution Emmanuel Adebayor leaves the field to be replaced by Roman Pavlyuchenko.

85:49

Leighton Baines gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Pienaar.

84:25

Kyle Walker takes the direct free kick.

84:25 Booking

Booking Marouane Fellaini goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.

84:16

Foul by Marouane Fellaini on Steven Pienaar, free kick awarded.

83:21

Emmanuel Adebayor is ruled offside. Johnny Heitinga takes the indirect free kick.

82:56

Brad Friedel takes the free kick.

82:56 Booking

Booking Tim Cahill goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.

82:52

Tim Cahill challenges Luka Modric unfairly and gives away a free kick.

82:43

Louis Saha takes a shot. Blocked by Kyle Walker.

82:06

Foul by Benoit Assou-Ekotto on Royston Drenthe, free kick awarded. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Johnny Heitinga.

81:14 Substitution

Substitution Magaye Gueye comes on in place of Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.

79:34

Corner taken by Rafael Van der Vaart played to the near post, clearance by Johnny Heitinga.

78:35

Luka Modric takes a shot. Save by Tim Howard.

76:55 Substitution

Substitution Steven Pienaar is brought on as a substitute for Aaron Lennon.

73:55

Phil Neville takes the free kick.

73:55 Booking

Booking The referee shows Aaron Lennon a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

73:50

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Royston Drenthe by Aaron Lennon.

73:10

Corner from the left by-line taken by Luka Modric, save by Tim Howard.

73:06

The ball is swung over by Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Shane Duffy makes a clearance.

71:50

The referee penalises Royston Drenthe for handball. Free kick taken by Gareth Bale.

71:22

Outswinging corner taken by Rafael Van der Vaart, Tim Howard makes a save.

70:59

Rafael Van der Vaart takes a shot. Blocked by Johnny Heitinga.

70:49

Aaron Lennon produces a cross, Johnny Heitinga makes a clearance.

70:24

Unfair challenge on Royston Drenthe by Jake Livermore results in a free kick. Phil Neville delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing, Michael Dawson makes a clearance.

69:09

Free kick awarded for a foul by Royston Drenthe on Gareth Bale. Gareth Bale restarts play with the free kick.

67:21 Substitution

Substitution (Everton) makes a substitution, with Royston Drenthe coming on for Victor Anichebe.

66:50

Corner taken by Landon Donovan, Close range header by Shane Duffy goes over the bar.

66:20

Marouane Fellaini takes a shot. Michael Dawson gets a block in.

66:13

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov crosses the ball, clearance by Younes Kaboul.

65:55

The ball is swung over by Phil Neville, clearance made by Kyle Walker.

65:08

Gareth Bale takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.

62:38

Assist by Rafael Van der Vaart.

62:38 Goal scored

Goal - Benoit Assou-Ekotto - Tottenham 2 - 0 Everton Benoit Assou-Ekotto finds the net with a goal from long distance to the top left corner of the goal. Tottenham 2-0 Everton.

61:17

Gareth Bale produces a cross, clearance by Shane Duffy.

59:34

Marouane Fellaini challenges Rafael Van der Vaart unfairly and gives away a free kick. Luka Modric restarts play with the free kick.

58:43 Substitution

Substitution Shane Duffy joins the action as a substitute, replacing Sylvain Distin.

57:09

Landon Donovan produces a cross, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Marouane Fellaini goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

54:52

Leighton Baines delivers the ball, Brad Friedel fouled by Sylvain Distin, the ref awards a free kick. Brad Friedel restarts play with the free kick.

54:39

The ball is swung over by Landon Donovan, Michael Dawson manages to make a clearance.

54:19

Corner taken by Landon Donovan, clearance made by Younes Kaboul.

53:58

Leighton Baines crosses the ball, Louis Saha takes a shot. Blocked by Michael Dawson.

52:34

Centre by Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Aaron Lennon takes a shot.

52:34

The ball is delivered by Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Headed effort from close range by Aaron Lennon goes wide left of the target.

50:10

Inswinging corner taken by Rafael Van der Vaart from the right by-line.

50:06

Centre by Kyle Walker, Sylvain Distin makes a clearance.

49:27

Gareth Bale takes a shot. Save by Tim Howard.

49:18

Leighton Baines crosses the ball, Michael Dawson makes a clearance.

48:25

Kyle Walker delivers the ball, clearance made by Sylvain Distin.

48:21

Benoit Assou-Ekotto produces a cross.

46:22

Marouane Fellaini challenges Kyle Walker unfairly and gives away a free kick. Kyle Walker restarts play with the free kick.

45:01

The second half has started.

45:00 +2:46 Half time

Half Time The referee calls an end to the first half.

45:00 +1:49

Benoit Assou-Ekotto takes the free kick.

45:00 +1:49 Booking

Booking Landon Donovan is booked.

45:00 +1:39

Benoit Assou-Ekotto fouled by Landon Donovan, the ref awards a free kick.

44:43

Landon Donovan challenges Benoit Assou-Ekotto unfairly and gives away a free kick. Brad Friedel takes the free kick.

43:18

Free kick awarded for a foul by Leighton Baines on Emmanuel Adebayor. Kyle Walker restarts play with the free kick.

42:35

Effort from deep inside the area by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov misses to the right of the target.

41:49

Landon Donovan fouled by Younes Kaboul, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed by Leighton Baines, clearance made by Younes Kaboul.

41:04

The ball is sent over by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Younes Kaboul makes a clearance.

38:49

A cross is delivered by Marouane Fellaini, clearance made by Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

38:16

Landon Donovan sends in a cross, clearance made by Michael Dawson.

36:11

Shot from just outside the penalty box by Rafael Van der Vaart misses to the left of the target.

35:28

Johnny Heitinga concedes a free kick for a foul on Emmanuel Adebayor. Younes Kaboul restarts play with the free kick.

34:13

Assist by Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

34:13 Goal scored

Goal - Aaron Lennon - Tottenham 1 - 0 Everton Aaron Lennon fires in a goal from close in to the bottom right corner of the goal. Tottenham 1-0 Everton.

33:22

Effort on goal by Rafael Van der Vaart from just outside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.

31:48

Landon Donovan has an effort at goal from outside the area missing to the wide left of the goal.

31:29

Marouane Fellaini challenges Rafael Van der Vaart unfairly and gives away a free kick. Luka Modric takes the direct free kick.

31:12

Louis Saha has an effort at goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post.

30:49

A cross is delivered by Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov makes a clearance.

30:18

Unfair challenge on Luka Modric by Landon Donovan results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Kyle Walker.

29:38

Effort on goal by Emmanuel Adebayor from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.

29:03

Foul by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov on Jake Livermore, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Jake Livermore.

24:28

Kyle Walker concedes a free kick for a foul on Diniyar Bilyaletdinov. Direct free kick taken by Leighton Baines.

23:06

Luka Modric takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.

22:57

Gareth Bale produces a cross, Johnny Heitinga makes a clearance.

21:11

Centre by Leighton Baines, Kyle Walker makes a clearance.

21:05

Leighton Baines sends in a cross, Kyle Walker makes a clearance.

20:26

Corner taken by Landon Donovan from the left by-line, clearance by Michael Dawson.

16:53

Corner taken by Rafael Van der Vaart, Marouane Fellaini manages to make a clearance.

13:39

Landon Donovan takes a inswinging corner to the near post.

11:32

Shot from deep inside the area by Emmanuel Adebayor clears the bar.

8:14

A cross is delivered by Emmanuel Adebayor, clearance by Leighton Baines.

6:11

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Gareth Bale by Marouane Fellaini. Rafael Van der Vaart restarts play with the free kick.

1:47

The referee blows for offside. Indirect free kick taken by Tim Howard.

0:50

Louis Saha produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the target.

0:00

The game kicks-off.

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