LIVERPOOL - Everton failed to take full advantage of neighbours Liverpool's increasingly shambolic season at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.
With Liverpool losing at West Ham, Everton could have been sitting pretty in fourth spot in the Barclays Premier League table, five points ahead of their troubled city rivals.
But in the end Everton had to settle for just one point and a lead of three over the Anfield side in the table.
Tottenham had the outstanding Jonathan Woodgate making his debut and the north Londoners - who can only qualify realistically for Europe by winning the Carling Cup - were able to almost cruise to a point.
Everton needed to take command, but never did - with a wasted 10-yard effort from Andrew Johnson their best chance.
Woodgate took the place of suspended Michael Dawson for the visitors, with Wales international Chris Gunter also making his full Premier League debut and Pascal Chimbonda returning after a one-match ban.
Everton were without the suspended Tim Cahill and Tony Hibbert, plus their three players away on African Nations Cup duty.
Leon Osman was out with a groin problem while Victor Anichebe started up front and Leighton Baines played at full-back, having recovered from an ankle injury.
It was the end of a busy day for Spurs, who had signed Rangers' right-back Alan Hutton during the afternoon and sold Wayne Routledge to Aston Villa in the evening.
This could have been a curtain raiser for the Carling Cup final had Everton beaten Chelsea last week in their semi-final - and the Spurs fans were quick to remind everyone that they were going to Wembley.
But on the pitch the action was more low-key, apart from Victor Anichebe's robust style and a particularly bad foul by Nuno Valente on Chimbonda.
Gunter, who was in Cardiff's reserves a matter of weeks ago, settled quickly at left-back while Tom Huddlestone was showing his adaptability in the centre of Spurs' defence, one of several British-born youngsters on the pitch.
Everton had Baines on the left of midfield, and he managed the first shot of the night, a 20-yard effort which was claimed by Radek Cerny.
Then Steed Malbranque responded with an overhead kick which was held by Tim Howard as the game, if not the night, warmed up.
Valente's cross a minute later, touched on by Anichebe, almost gave Johnson an opening, but he failed to beat Cerny to the ball.
Anichebe and Baines then had shots blocked in the six-yard box, before Phil Neville's cross reached Johnson - but his shot on the turn was held by Cerny.
Aaron Lennon's pace took him past Valente and Joleon Lescott, but Howard plucked out the cross that was heading for Dimitar Berbatov.
Everton were furious in the 34th minute when Johnson went down in the box with Huddlestone close behind.
There were loud appeals for a penalty but neither linesman nor referee Andre Marriner were interested - and television replays showed barely any contact.
Two minutes into the second half Mikel Arteta worked his way past three defenders in the box to reach the line before firing a low cross into the six-yard box - and Anichebe's lunge missed connecting by inches.
Robbie Keane's 15-yard effort was then claimed by Howard, the ball reaching Spurs' top scorer after Phil Neville had given the ball away to Berbatov seconds after an excellent interception.
Manuel Fernandes was beginning to get into the game and a couple of decent runs and 20-yard effort which went over underlined his growing midfield involvement.
Everton continued to push forward and Cerny produced the best save of the night so far, diving smartly to his left to block a Johnson effort from eight yards.
Just past the hour mark Kevin-Prince Boateng came on for teenager Gunter, moving into midfield with Jamie O'Hara dropping to full-back.
Everton sent on James Vaughan for Anichebe on 71 minutes, and five minutes later Nuno Valente was booked for a trip on Lennon.
Woodgate, immaculate throughout, was booked for a late tackle on Vaughan on 82 minutes.
Spurs produced good pressure towards the end, with Berbatov seeing a header from a Lennon run and cross saved by Howard, but neither side deserved all three points.
