TIM HOWARD revealed homework and a quick word from Louis Saha helped him pull off the penalty save that earned Everton a point on a dramatic afternoon at Goodison.

Howard denied Jermain Defoe in injury time after David Moyes’s side had scored twice in the final 12 minutes to fight back from 2-0 down against Tottenham Hotspur.

Substitute Saha approached the goalkeeper moments before Defoe struck his spot kick at Howard’s legs.

And the United States international said: "Louis gave me a little word of advice. But I kind of knew what to expect from Defoe.

"To be honest, there is so much video footage available these days, that not one penalty isn’t there to see. Today the crowd were up for it, and thankfully we gave them something to cheer."

Howard’s penalty saves had previously seen off Manchester United in last season’s FA Cup semi-final and earned Everton victory over the MLS Allstars in their prestigious friendly this summer.

And delighted Goodison manager David Moyes said: "I think Louis told him to go early and make his mind up, and if he gets it right he gets it right. In fact, he almost went a bit too early and dived past it!

"We work hard to try and do what we can. Tim is a good goalkeeper and is lively.

"He should be making penalty saves because he is very agile and quick. He has the chance to make saves.

"It was a vital save. It was important because the players had worked incredibly hard, didn’t give in and stuck at it.

"We tried to get that first goal, we tried to get a way back into it. Because of that, we earned a bit of fortune with the penalty."

Moyes added: "Tim works at his game. The harder you work sometimes the more lucky you become. I wouldn’t swap him for any other goalkeeper in the league at the moment.

"He’s helping carry the team because we don’t have a lot of leaders or men, and he’s doing that for us as well."

Howard is set to face England in the opening group game at next summer’s World Cup.

And asked if he wouldn’t be too concerned if the goalkeeper repeated the save in South Africa, Moyes said: "You don’t want me saying that, do you? There must have been a lot of Scotsmen in the crowd because they were chanting USA!"