PERHAPS Antonio Conte had a point.
The fiery Italian torched Spurs in what turned out to be his first press conference just before the international break, branding his players as “selfish” and “lacking heart”.
It had come after he had witnessed his side somehow surrender a 3-1 lead at basement-boys Southampton, drawing 3-3 thanks to an injury-time leveller.
Conte left nine days later and his assistant Cristian Stellini was put in charge until the end of the season.
But the swap did not stop the bad habits repeating themselves here as Tottenham once again conspired to drop points in the final moments thanks to Michael Keane’s thunderbolt.
It was nothing more than Spurs deserved, who looked very similar under Stellini as they did playing for Conte for most of the season.
They had been handed a massive slice of luck just before the hour when Abdoulaye Doucoure was sent off for crazily lashing out at Harry Kane.
Kane then looked to have sealed the points when he dispatched a penalty, awarded when Keane chopped down Cristian Romero in the box.
But instead of pressing home their man and goal advantage, spineless Spurs went into their shells, giving Sean Dyche’s side confidence of an unlikely fightback.
The team numbers were levelled up when sub Lucas Moura’s awful tackle on Keane earned him a straight red.
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Then the Toffees defender was invited to shoot in the 90th minute – and promptly found the corner with a 25-yard stunner.
It sustained the Dyche revival, with the Toffees’ unbeaten run now extended to four games.
Though such is the ludicrously-congested nature of the relegation fight, they remain in the bottom three with nine games to play.
The next three of those will also be without the influential Doucoure and you wonder how much his loss will be felt in their fight for survival.
But there is no doubting the scrap in this Dyche team – nor its organisation, as the ex-Burnley boss named the same side that secured a last-gasp draw at Chelsea last time out.
Kane loves playing against Everton, having hit 14 goals in his last 11 games against them prior to this clash.
He came close with an early swivel-and-shot which was denied by Keane’s goal-saving intervention.
Keane was then afforded an even better opportunity in the air with 16 minutes played.
The 29-year-old has nine Premier League headed goals this term, equalling the record the towering Duncan Ferguson set while playing for Everton in 1997-98.
Yet when Ivan Perisic found Kane with a pinpoint delivery, Tottenham’s No10 could only flick the ball wide of the goal.
There was a drinks break just before the half-hour so Everton’s Muslim midfield trio of Doucoure, Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye could break their fast.
Moments later, Doucoure had the hosts’ best opportunity of the first 45 but aimed his free header well over the bar.
There was plenty of endeavour from Spurs but a familiar lack of cutting edge and quality.
Their fans have regularly shown this season who they think is the most to blame by taking aim at Daniel Levy.
Here the travelling support continued that with chants demanding the chairman “get out of our club”, as well as songs of praise for former boss Mauricio Pochettino, whom they would love to return.
Everton really should have broken the deadlock minutes into the second half.
Onana brilliantly nicked the ball off Eric Dier, allowing Gueye to drive towards the box.
He had Doucoure to his right, Gray to his left, but instead ballooned a shot high above Hugo Lloris’ goal much to Dyche’s frustration.
Then, just before the hour, came Doucoure’s moment of madness.
The ex-Watford man had gone in for a 50-50 with Kane, who had just bundled over Gray, and then reacted angrily by at first shoving the Spurs man in chest, then, unforgivably, pushing his hand into his face.
Kane hit the deck and though Doucoure and Dyche tried to claim England’s record-scorer had milked it, there was no way referee David Coote was going to do anything else other than issue a red card.
Kane was also booked for his role in the altercation, which really seemed to come out of nothing.
Ten minutes later came the spot-kick, which also came out of the blue.
Keane brought Romero to the ground in the area and Kane made it 15 Premier League goals against Everton by sending his England colleague Pickford the wrong way.
Spurs should have had it in the bag then but were timid.
Moura’s cowardly foul on Keane saw Spurs reduced to ten with two minutes to go.
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And there was still time for the Toffees defender to pick his spot from 25 yards.
It gave Everton renewed hope and Tottenham that familiar sinking feeling that Conte could no longer tolerate.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
