FA Premiership/ Everton 0 Tottenham 1: Tottenham Hotspur are fast learning how to live among loftier company. The most impressive side to visit this arena since the turn of the year retain a four-point advantage over fourth-placed Arsenal - a lead they could stretch to seven this afternoon - though it was their manager's willingness to indulge in a spot of mind games which truly suggested they are eager to thrive at the top.

Martin Jol, hugely encouraged by this performance, takes his team to Highbury on Saturday with Arsenal's pursuit of a Champions League spot proving relentless, whether by prising their rivals from the top four or by lifting the trophy themselves next month: either way at Spurs' expense.

"Two weeks ago in the Champions League there wasn't a single English player and that's very strange," said the Dutchman. "That's why I think everybody in England should get behind us and be proud that we've got an English team."

Indeed, while Jol may admire Arsene Wenger for spending up to £12 million on the potential of Theo Walcott, Sol Campbell's appearance against Portsmouth last week represented the only glimpse of an Englishman in Arsenal colours for 15 matches. With Campbell crocked again and Ashley Cole absent, Sven-Goran Eriksson will presumably spend more time tracking Spurs than Gunners for the remainder of the season.

Spurs' Englishmen were excellent here: Jermaine Jenas's energy dominated central midfield and Michael Carrick was a reassuring presence at his side. Jermain Defoe's body language occasionally suggested he was not interested, but he still rasped a glorious, curled shot against the bar that would have doubled the margin achieved when Alan Stubbs barged Robbie Keane from the ball. The Dubliner duly converted the penalty for his seventh goal in eight league games.

Then there was Aaron Lennon. The winger, who turned 19 yesterday, cost Spurs only a down-payment of £500,000 from Leeds, although he must be fast forcing his way into Eriksson's thoughts with displays regularly this sprightly. Tricky, elusive and lightning quick, the teenager tore into the home side to leave his markers gasping.

"For his age, Lennon is the best prospect in the Premiership," said Jol. "He would certainly benefit from going to Germany, but the World Cup's too important to gamble. He can cross, he's more and more productive and he can only get better. That's exciting.

"We've probably got over 100 points in the last 15 months and there's huge potential. We're still not there yet. A couple of injuries and it'd be difficult, because we have a couple of key players without whom we struggle, so maybe we'll have to strengthen if we want to be prepared for Europe."

A year ago Everton were in the same situation, though they were horribly disjointed here. Even though this was a first home defeat of the year, the Merseysiders generally have a wretched record over the final weeks of a season and are in danger of fizzling out again.

"We were beaten by the better team," conceded David Moyes, who faces the prospect of enduring another side's title celebrations at Stamford Bridge today. "Manchester United came and celebrated the league against us three years back and we've had to play Arsenal a couple of times when they've just won it. It's happened to us a fair bit."

He will be braced for another gruelling afternoon.

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