Topsy-turvy Tottenham punish dreadful Everton to rekindle ambitions

Tottenham (3) 5 Keane og 14, Son 17, Kane 37, 55, Reguilon 46

Everton (0) 0

Spurs cruised to their first home win in the league since Boxing Day as they put a woeful Everton to the sword.

Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane got on the scoresheet after Michael Keane had put through his own net and a 3-0 half-time lead left the visitors with little room for manoeuvre.

Second half goals from Sergio Reguilon and Kane completed the visitors’ misery.

It was a chastening evening for former Chelsea hero Frank Lampard in the Toffees dugout and he paid a high price for an attacking approach as his team was picked off with ease on the break by Antonio Conte’s men.

Victory breathed fresh life into Spurs’ top four chase on what has become a very up and down campaign.

A win at Man City followed by defeat at Burnley. A handsome stroll at Leeds followed by FA Cup elimination at Middlesbrough. This was back to the good version.

Everton started brightly enough but Spurs scored from the first moment of danger they managed to create.

Ryan Sessegnon scampered inside Seamus Coleman from Ben Davies’ astute pass and a whipped cross to the near post was turned into his own net by Keane – under pressure from Kane.

Moments later and the lead doubled when Heung-Min Son was played in by Dejan Kulusevski and his low shot crept under Jordan Pickford, who should have done much better.

Everton’s forward ventures only threatened to expose them to more pain in breakaways by the home side and they were wide open when Matt Doherty spotted Son in space on the left.

The South Korean’s final effort was blocked by Pickford’s legs this time and Kane, following up, hit a volley just off target.

Cristian Romero picked up a yellow from ref Stuart Atwell for a vicious late sliding tackle on Richarlison which arguably merited a red. It was all going Spurs’ way.

Before the break, it was three. Kane sprang Everton’s suicidally high back line to race through from Doherty’s pass and the England striker rolled it smartly past Pickford’s right hand.

“Lampard, Lampard what’s the score?” crowed home fans, who would later bring out the "Sacked in the morning” chant.

Moments after the restart, Reguilon, who had replaced Ryan Sessegnon at the break, had made it 4-0.

He tapped in at the far post after Son’s carry and pass out to the right had been played into the six-yard box by the Swede, who has made such an impressive start to life at Spurs.

More goals looked inevitable against a ragged Everton, who are in a mess just above the bottom three and before the hour was up, Kane had volleyed superbly across Pickford with his left foot for number five – a lovely floated ball from Doherty picked him up perfectly. That was two assists from the former Wolves man, who had an excellent evening.

It was a sublime finish. Technique of the highest order is needed for a ball dropping over the shoulder. Kane made it look easy.

Spurs fans gave a warm, heart-felt reception to former hero Dele Alli when he came on with 20 minutes remaining. But home fans could afford to be generous, given their team’s total superiority and the lack of tension in the game.

The hope for Conte now must be that the Spurs we saw tonight turn up for Saturday’s tea-time game at Man United – a fixture which could have a significant bearing on that all-important fourth place.

Spurs: (3-4-2-1) Lloris – Romero (Sanchez 52), Dier, Davies – Doherty, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, R Sessegnon (Reguilon h/t) – Kulusevski, Son (Bergwijn 66) – Kane. Subs not used: Gollini, Winks, Emerson Royal, Rodon, Lucas Moura, White

Toffees: (4-3-3) Pickford – Coleman, Holgate, Keane (Branthwaite h/t), Kenny – Doucoure, Allan, van de Beek (Mykolenko 59) – Calvert-Lewin (Alli 69), Richarlison, Gordon. Subs not used: Begovic, Townsend, Iwobi, Andre Gomes, Rondon, El Ghazi

Attendance: 59,647