Everton 0 Tottenham 0No one who has endured Tottenham's defending this season would doubt the wisdom of Juande Ramos lavishing a fortune on his rearguard, but there are still some deficiencies the Spaniard has to cure. Away from home, for example, they carry all the threat of a wet sponge.

One win on their Premier League travels this season is the injection of reality into Tottenham's world following the heights of last week's English League Cup humiliation of Arsenal.

Until the elaborate talents of Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov have the service to even threaten a team missing as many key servants as Everton did last night, progress may remain painfully slow.

This was a slow-burner immersed in mediocrity until the home side improved before the interval.

Jonathan Woodgate was handed a Spurs debut two days after his €10.7 million arrival from Middlesbrough. His timing, strength and reading of the game was invaluable for Tottenham.

The new signing quickly showed the aerial strength Tottenham have sorely lacked at times in defence this season when, from an inviting cross from Mikel Arteta, he intervened with Victor Anichebe primed for a centre forward's header.

Andrew Johnson twice failed to react to half chances inside the visitors' area as Phil Neville began to find space and accuracy down the right.

Tottenham's brightest moment arrived when Berbatov released the hitherto anonymous Keane on the left, though his powerful drive could not beat Howard.

EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Lescott, Nuno Valente, Arteta, Carsley, Fernandes, Baines, Johnson, Anichebe (Vaughan 71). Subs Not Used: Wessels, Van der Meyde, Stubbs, Anderson. Booked: Nuno Valente.

TOTTENHAM: Cerny, Chimbonda, Huddlestone, Woodgate, Gunter (Boateng 62), Lennon, Jenas, O'Hara, Malbranque, Berbatov, Keane. Subs Not Used: Robinson, Lee, Defoe, Rocha. Booked: Woodgate.

Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands).