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Match Analysis: Everton 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Sports Mole reflects on Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win over Everton on the final day of the season at Goodison Park.

Tottenham Hotspur secured fifth place on the final day of the season with a 1-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park.

Harry Kane scored the only goal of the game with a header from close range midway through the first half, and Everton were unable to avoid slipping to a result which forced them to settle for an 11th-placed finish.

Below, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the key talking points.

Match statistics

EVERTON
Shots: 9
On target: 1
Possession: 41%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 12

SPURS
Shots: 16
On target: 3
Possession: 59%
Corners: 5
Fouls: 8

Was the result fair?

Despite winning by just one goal, Spurs certainly deserved to collect all three points on the final day of the season. They made a bright start and dictated the tempo, which can be tough to do at Goodison Park. Their attacking players always looked capable of causing problems for the hosts, and Kane took full advantage of the game's best opportunity. Everton may have enjoyed spells on top, but they were always second best to the visitors.

Everton's performance

In truth, it wasn't really that bad of a performance from the Toffees on the final day of a disappointing season, but there was certainly something missing from their game. Phil Jagielka performed well at the back, but the midfield were often second best to the ball, which invited pressure from the visitors for much of the first half. Tottenham's sharp play caused plenty of problems out wide, too, and the hosts struggled to find a way to keep tabs on Christian Eriksen.

However, it will be the attacking display which will frustrate the supporters most. Quite simply, they were not good enough going forward. When James McCarthy and Gareth Barry did get on the ball they managed to find teammates in good positions, but the final product was poor from the home side. Kevin Mirallas, in particular, wasted too many opportunities despite getting involved on a regular basis.

Ross Barkley lasted just 45 minutes, while Leon Osman drifted in and out of the game. Romelu Lukaku was disappointing, but he seemed to be a victim of a lack of creativity. The Belgian can be a handful for any defence, but he couldn't get the ball on a regular basis as Federico Fazio and Jan Vertonghen kept the strikers on the fringes of the action.

Tottenham's performance

Spurs may have fallen short in their battle to reach the Champions League, but Mauricio Pochettino will be pleased that his side managed to beat Southampton and Liverpool to fifth spot in his first season in charge. Their attacking talent has never really been in doubt, but the visiting fans saw a different side to the team today. It was a perfect away performance as Vertonghen led his side to a fine defensive display. Everton asked questions, but the defence responded to every challenge impressively and they worked superbly well for the clean sheet.

An energetic display from the midfield ensured the hosts never had too much time on the ball, and Eriksen was the star of the show for much of the game as he pulled the strings for his fellow attackers to enjoy success further up the pitch. Kane delivered the goods to complete an excellent campaign and it was the kind of match which should boost Pochettino and the fans heading into the summer. More performances like this would have put them in a better position to close the gap on the top four.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Christian Eriksen: Once again it was Kane who scored the vital goal for Spurs, but Eriksen deserves a lot of credit for his performance in a deserved win. The Dane was a constant threat to the Toffees with his clever passing and ability to find space between the home side's midfield and defence. He's not always been at his best in the second half of the season, but his creativity was key for Spurs.

Biggest gaffe

Barkley really struggled to make an impact for Everton before being taken off at the break, and he almost gifted a goal to Spurs with a blind pass in the first half. Luckily for the midfielder, Jagielka reacted quickly to prevent Kane from capitalising.

Referee performance

It was a comfortable finish to the season for Jonathan Moss, who allowed the game to flow as much as possible and avoided stealing the headlines with any controversial decisions.

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Romelu Lukaku of Everton celebrates scoring their second goal past Adrian of West Ham during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Everton at Boleyn Ground on May 16, 2015
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Q Germany Germany32107
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