DAVID MOYES refused to quit and so did his players.

As the Everton manager reaffirmed his commitment to the cause in the face of needless rumours this week, his squad responded with a performance to subdue the critics.

At times almost cavalier against Tottenham Hotspur last night, the Goodison outfit were certainly always determined to shake their season into shape after it spluttered over the festive campaign.

That it marked only a third home win in 10 matches – although one which takes them 11th in the Premier League table and above Liverpool - will sober any over exuberance, the manner of victory over the in-form Londoners will at least leave many reinvigorated with their club today.

It was a night in which Louis Saha notched a first strike of the campaign and one where Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar teased with glimpses of their former selves.

Seamus Coleman too deserves special mention for a terrorising raid down the right wing which unnerved Spurs and his winning goal was rich credit for an illuminating evening under the floodlights.

However Everton's tides of pulsating attacks were underpinned by the graft of Marouane Fellaini who succeeded in being the master spoiler of Tottenham's artistry.

The Belgian's influential on the win can not be underplayed in a performance which resonated with the way Chelsea were dismissed here in February – fittingly the last time Saha found the back of the net.

Everton manager Moyes made two enforced changes from the side who failed to penetrate the Stoke City defence on New Year's Day – and it gave the home team a more traditional and attacking system.