LIVERPOOL -- Tottenham Hotspur climbed into third place in the Premier League after a dominant 3-0 win over Everton.
It was Everton's first loss at their new stadium, and leaves David Moyes' side with just one win in their final game.
The home side began on the front foot and nearly went ahead through Jack Grealish, before Micky van de Ven opened the scoring for Spurs from a corner in the 19th minute.
Everton thought they had equalised soon after only for Jake O'Brien's goal to be chalked out for offside. The home crowd fumed at the decision and their frustration only grew when Van de Ven scored his second close to half time.
Everton toiled in the pouring rain in the second half for a way back but Pape Matar Sarr's goal off the bench in the 89th minute put the sheen on a fine Spurs performance.
Spurs' set-piece strength
Spurs are challenging Arsenal's hold on the crown of "Setpiece FC."
Micky van de Ven's first-half brace means they have scored 15 goals from corners across the last two seasons. Only Arsenal (21) have scored more in that period.
Mohammed Kudus' in swinging corner in the 19th minute was headed back across goal by Rodrigo Bentancur, with Van de Ven at hand to head home from close range. If the first goal was down to slack defending, the second was all about Pedro Porro's delivery. Such was the whip on his delivery that it looked destined for goal even without Van de Ven's glancing header.
Spurs' threat from set pieces was laid bare by the xG (expected goals). Their xG from set pieces (1.3) was significantly higher than that from open play (0.78).
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Ndiaye all on his own
Jack Grealish may be the star attraction at Everton this season, but Sunday was again a reminder that their focal point remains Iliman Ndiaye. The Senegal international sparkled from the right from the start and nearly gave Everton a third minute lead, when he skipped past Djed Spence on the right and whipped in a cross that led to a Grealish effort blocked off the line.
It set the tone for the game.
Ndiaye was the chief orchestrator for Everton attacks, with the Hill Dickinson crowd swaying to his tune. The connection between crowd and player became most apparent midway through the first half, after O'Brien's goal was disallowed after Ndiaye and Grealish were adjudged to be offside. It lit a fuse in the home crowd, who furiously vented their anger towards the referee.
Ndiaye appeared to channel their frustration. With a piece of outrageous dribbling, he skipped past two Tottenham players and charged towards goal before being dragged down and winning a freekick. It lifted the heads of Everton players and had the home supports on their feet in appreciation.
He had nine progressive carries just in the first half, the most for any player on the pitch. Ndiaye came close to pulling a goal back in the second half, when his deflected effort was well saved by Vicario. The manner in which he dropped to his haunches told the story of his game.
As was the case against Manchester City last weekend, this was another eye-catching Ndiaye performance that will be forgotten because of the result.
Faltering forwards
There was a clear moment in the game, when Everton's patience in their No. 9 started to wear thin. Jack Grealish pounced on a stray backpass from Rodrigo Bentancur and passed it to Beto, with Spurs caught out of shape.
But Beto's touch was poor and by the time he got his feet in order, the only passing option available was the one back to his centre-back. It summed up the game for the Everton forward, who now has just one goal in nine games this season.
He fumbled an opportunity from a Ndiaye cross in the third minute to put Everton ahead and was seemingly always a yard or two behind each cross played into the box. It laid bare why only one striker in the Premier League has underperformed on their xG more than him this season.
Beto didn't have a shining example on the other end to look at. Randal Kolo Muani made his first start for Spurs since joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, and hardly made a dent on the game.
He managed zero shots and just 15 touches in his one hour on the pitch, before being replaced by Richarlison. The former Everton forward drew warm applause from the home crowd as he came on.
It's fair to assume the ovation he received from the Spurs end also had something to do with Kolo Muani's quiet showing.