By the time Distin sensed the danger, Defoe had struck a cross-cum-shot across goal where Pavlyuchenko – making his first league start of the campaign – arrived onside to slide the ball home for his fifth goal in three games.

It was Groundhog Day for Heitinga, whose similar hesitancy at the same end during the Carling Cup defeat cost Everton dearly.

The visitors almost gained an immediate response on 17 minutes, when Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes dropped a deep Leighton Baines corner at the feet of Yakubu and was relieved to see Michael Dawson make a goal-saving block.

But Everton conceded again on 28 minutes with a goal made entirely in Croatia.

Niko Kranjcar, Vedran Corluka and Modric passed their way through the left side of the visiting defence before Modric curled a magnificent shot from 20 yards that looped over Howard and went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Everton should have been back in the game on 41 minutes but Jack Rodwell sent a free header wastefully wide from Phil Neville's clipped right-wing cross.

Bale, a constant threat down the Tottenham left, almost fashioned a third before the break but Defoe couldn't quite connect properly to his driven low ball.

Yet from the moment Heitinga struck a drive at Gomes, it was clear Everton were a different beast in the second half and they forced their way back into the game on 55 minutes.

A deep corner from Mikel Arteta was headed back across goal by Rodwell and, after Pavlyuchenko made a hash of his attempted clearance, Yakubu prodded home from two yards.

Cue an Everton barrage. Gomes parried clear a first-time Rodwell volley from Yakubu's cross and then denied Steven Pienaar after the South African intercepted a loose Wilson Palacios pass and advanced on goal.

The came Donovan's moment to forget, a low Rodwell cross from the left deflecting into the path of the American at the far post who, with everyone anticipating the equaliser, somehow hit the ball wide into the side-netting from barely two yards.

Even Jason Donovan would have fancied his chances from that range.

The chances still came and, from Heitinga's corner, Jagielka sent a free header narrowly over the bar, while at the other end a fine save from Howard in injury time stopped Kranjcar netting a third for Tottenham.

But that would have been harsh on the travelling support that suffered in silence as they trudged disconsolately home, shaking their heads in disbelief and frustration.