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David Moyes' Everton ripped through Tottenham's terrible defending in the first half at Goodison Park to set up a 3-2 victory which drags Ange Postecoglou's side into the relegation battle.

The home fans celebrated with a hint of disbelief as the second-worst performing attack in the division feasted on Spurs' shocking vulnerability at the back.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin hadn't scored here in the Premier League since August. He twisted teenager Archie Gray this way and that before stroking in his first goal in 17 matches.

After an Orel Mangala shot was pushed onto the post, Iliman Ndiaye was soon breezing past Radu Dragusin to slam in a second. "Spurs have been all over the place," said former Tottenham defender Michael Dawson on Sky Sports. "The defending from Dragusin is unacceptable."

It got even worse in first-half stoppage-time, with Gray hooking the ball into his own net. The Everton fans had not seen anything like this since February 2017, when they netted three in the first 45 minutes against Bournemouth. Everton had only scored 15 goals in their 20 league games before Sunday.

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Spurs switched away from their failed back-three experiment at half-time but it should have been 4-0 early in the second period when Calvert-Lewin spun and shot wide when again given time and space in the box. Inevitably, Everton then made life difficult for themselves in the final stages.

Dejan Kulusevski gave the travelling fans something to cheer when he chipped in nicely after Jordan Pickford had darted off his line. And Everton old boy Richarlison added another in stoppage-time from close range. But Everton saw it through to deliver a morale-boosting first league win under returning boss Moyes.

The Spurs supporters aired their displeasure throughout and repeatedly called for chairman Daniel Levy to leave the club. The work of Postecoglou will also come into sharp focus after this.

Yes, Spurs' absentee list is long - with Dominic Solanke now out with a knee problem - but the overall picture has not looked good for a long time.

There is the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg lead to cling to at Anfield, but Spurs have been taken to extra-time at Tamworth, defeated in the north London derby, and now humbled at Everton since that standout win over Liverpool.

With one win in 10 Premier League games and the gap to the bottom three just eight points - and four to Everton - Tottenham are in crisis.

Postecoglou: The second half showed the players haven't thrown towel in

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou:

"Obviously first half we really struggled within the game, gave ourselves a mountain to climb. The players tried to claw the game back in the second half but just fell short. We couldn't really take control of the game. We struggled to gain any traction with the ball, without the ball. We had some chances also where we probably should have capitalised early on. But in the end it wasn't enough.

"We're pretty stretched, we only had 11 fit players today. You try to restructure a little bit. We weren't in total control of our organisation, particularly early on, Everton capitalised on it a couple of times and we paid a price for it. We had a fair share of the game second half, we finished strong. I thought Richarlison made a difference when he came on and Mikey Moore on the left-hand side had a little more joy getting in behind.

"We look at the situation we're in, it will eventually dissipate in terms of player availability, then we give ourselves an opportunity to at least get some consistency in games and performances. Keep fighting. I haven't lost belief or determination to turn it around. The second half the players showed they're not throwing the towel in. We'll get our way through this."

Moyes: We could have scored more

Everton boss David Moyes:

"With the position we're in, any win is a good win. I thought the first half we played really well and did a lot of really good things. Maybe could have scored a couple more in the first half as well. We did very well, put ourselves in a good position. Dominic had a great chance to make it 4-0 as well.

"But it was a nervy ending. I knew if Tottenham got one we were going to be under pressure because of the way they play. But thankfully we just about saw it out.

"We're thrilled we've got three points from the game. We've got a long way to go but today was a good start."

Everton's first-half blitz

Story of the match in stats...

What's coming up in the Premier League?

Ange Postecoglou says he is not focused on talk about his future after James Maddison labelled Tottenham's first-half display in the 3-2 defeat at Everton "unacceptable".

Everton had only scored 15 times in their first 20 league games this season but they hit the net three times in the first 45 minutes on Sunday, cutting through some terrible Tottenham defending.

"No excuses over the first half," said midfielder Maddison. "It was a tough afternoon. We had 11 fit senior players, so there is context. But we had 11 starters and the first half was unacceptable."

Postecoglou had set his team up in a back three amid an 11-player injury list and later admitted the plan clearly had not worked. Radu Dragusin, who suffered a cut, had to be subbed off at half-time and another change of formation at least gave Spurs the platform to pull a couple of goals back and set up a nervy finish for their hosts.

But with just one league win in their last 10 games, Tottenham are languishing in 15th, just eight points above the drop zone and four ahead of an Everton side considered by most to be in the relegation battle.

Spurs have a 1-0 lead going into the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final with Liverpool, but after being forced into extra-time at non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup, losing at arch rivals Arsenal in midweek and now being humbled at Everton, the pressure is on Postecoglou.

"I separate myself from it," said the Spurs boss when asked about speculation over his future. "This is not about me. What's about me is I have a responsibility of the group of players I do have to try to get through this. That's all I've got to focus on. For me to focus on anything else is abstaining myself from the responsibility I have.

"I'm determined to get us out of this. The club is doing its best to help - it's more about helping the players than me. We're asking massive jobs of 18-year-olds, 17-year-olds out there trying to win games of football for us and others playing week on week."

Everton 3-2 Tottenham - Match report and highlights

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Postecoglou remains optimistic that once Spurs start to get their injured players back they will be able to produce performances and results to lift them from their lowly league position and help them compete for silverware success.

"We look at the situation we're in, it will eventually dissipate in terms of player availability, then we give ourselves an opportunity to at least get some consistency in games and performances," he said. "Keep fighting. I haven't lost belief or determination to turn it around. The second half the players showed they're not throwing the towel in. We'll get our way through this."

However, the Australian later said that there are unlikely to be many players back from the treatment room imminently - other than Rodrigo Bentancur who is going through concussion protocols, and Yves Bissouma, who could return next weekend.

Dominic Solanke, who was injured in training before the Everton game, could be out for "a few weeks" with a knee problem, Brennan Johnson is "probably three to four weeks" out with a calf issue sustained against Arsenal, while Spurs will also be without Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon against Hoffenheim in the Europa League on Thursday as they are not registered for that competition.

Spurs' shocking stats

This was Tottenham's 12th defeat in the Premier League this season. They haven't lost this many after 22 games since 1997/98.

Tottenham Hotspur have lost each of their first three Premier League matches of a calendar year for the first time since a run of seven in 1994.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin hadn't scored for 16 games before facing Tottenham. Everton hadn't scored three in a first half since February 2017.

Tottenham won eight and drew two of their first 10 Premier League games under Postecoglou. In the next 50 they have lost 24.

Tottenham have nine Premier League wins in the past nine months.

O'Hara: Big Ange is in big trouble!

Former Spurs midfielder Jamie O'Hara on Sky Sports News:

"He's in big trouble. That's where he is. Big Ange is in big trouble.

"It's a shocking first half. They were better in the second half, they created chances. But Everton are always going to sit in. They're 3-0 up.

"I understand there are injuries. I get that. But you're professionals. You can't tell me Ben Davies isn't good enough, Dragusin isn't good enough, Pape Sarr, Maddison, Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski... You've got good players in that team. Pedro Porro, Djed Spence. You've still got top players in the team to go and get results.

"I know there's some young kids in there, but you've brought them in to play when other players can't play. So they've got to perform. And they're not performing.

"Where are the leaders on the pitch? Where are the characters? Where's your captain? Son's meant to be the captain. He's not a captain. Listen, he's a great player, been an unbelievable servant for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. He's not a captain.

"He ain't going to dig you out of a hole. He ain't going to get players by the scruff of the neck. He's the nicest guy in the world. Everyone loves him. He's a really nice person. Is that what you need?

"Look, it's easy for me to sit here and say, 'Ange out'. I'm sure it's going to be trending. What's the answer? You've still got them injuries, even if Ange goes. Who's available? Bournemouth's manager? Fulham's manager? Is there a manager out there you can go and take?

"You've seen Ruben Amorim, who's done an unbelievable job at Sporting, go to Man United and they look awful. So what is the answer? I'm not sure. I don't think Ange is going to change. I don't think Ange is going to sort this mess out.

"Spurs are 15th in the table and if it carries on, they're in a relegation fight. And you can't keep a manager in charge of a football club just because you beat Liverpool 1-0 in the first leg of a Carabao Cup [semi-final].

"You've still got to go to Anfield. Do you wait until then and see if we go through and get to the final because he says he wins trophies in his second season? Premier League is bread and butter. You have to perform week in, week out in the Premier League and Spurs are not doing that."

Are Spurs in a relegation battle? Here's who they play next...

Hoffenheim (a) - Thursday, Jan 23, Europa League

Leicester City (h) - Sunday, Jan 26, Premier League

IF Elfsborg (h) - Thursday, Jan 30, Europa League

Brentford (a) - Sunday, Feb 2, Premier League

Liverpool (a) - Thursday, Feb 6, Carabao Cup

Aston Villa (a) - Sunday, Feb 9, FA Cup

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