Everton 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur: Joey Barton's instant reaction

Aaron Lennon and Dele Alli each scored excellent goals as Everton dug deep to hold Tottenham to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League at Goodison Park.

The 19-year-old's side was a goal down when he took a long pass from centre-back Toby Alderweireld onto his chest and then volleyed past a helpless Tim Howard.

The away side levelled it just before half time thanks to a strike from wonderkid Dele Alli, his fifth this season for the club. That they are is partly down to a lack of ruthlessness, but it is mainly due to slack defensive play which has cost them points in their last two home outings as Leicester City and Stoke City have both come to Goodison Park in the last fortnight and filled their boots.

Well here's SEVEN more you need to know about Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur. Moments later Pochettino's side struck Everton's woodwork for the first time when Harry Kane was encouraged to shoot from distance by a retreating defence and obliged with a powerful drive that beat Howard only to rebound off the inside of a post.

The impressive Alli unleashed a long-range effort that Howard dealt with comfortably, and Everton then went close twice in quick succession at the other end, with Hugo Lloris doing well to tip a piledriver from Besic over the bar and Funes Mori heading narrowly wide.

They were being talked up as possible title contenders in the build-up to the game, and while that remains very much up for debate, there was enough for boss Mauricio Pochettino to be encouraged by here.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez added fresh legs for the last half an hour, Gerard Deulofeu and Besic replacing Lennon and Kone. Lukaku blazed high into the Gwladys Street stand when he was handed a rare chance to run onto a through-ball down the channel and Ross Barkley prompted Lloris into a parrying save at the death with a shot from the angle.

Instead their cushion in the final Champions League berth has been trimmed to three points, while they now trail leaders - and arch rivals - Arsenal by six.

"We definitely deserved more".

On the one hand, the Toffees have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in the Premier League this season, with some even suggesting that this is the best squad at the club's disposal since their glory days of the 1980s.

"We've reached the halfway point of the Premier League season and I can't help but think that a mere 11 minutes of football have cost Everton dearly", he wrote.

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