By David Williams
Ben Davies has returned to fitness in a boost for Wales, but failed to inspire Tottenham Hotspur as they crashed to defeat at Everton.
The Wales captain recovered from a hamstring injury to play his first match for two months, handing Wales manager Craig Bellamy with welcome news ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in March.
But the return of Davies could not prevent Spurs’ head coach Ange Postecoglou from accepting responsibility for their embarrassing first-half performance at Everton which led to a 3-2 defeat and left the club floundering in 15th place.
A 12th league defeat of the season was only made to look slightly better by the two goals scored by Dejan Kulusevski and former Toffees forward Richarlison in the final 13 minutes.
Ben Davies is back in the Tottenham starting line-up having been out with injury since 5 December ⚽#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/eSGhkUZkll
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) January 19, 2025
Prior to that Spurs, who have now taken just four points from the last 27 available, were made to look second-best by the Premier League’s lowest scorers, who found themselves 3-0 up at home at half-time for the first time in almost eight years courtesy of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman Ndiaye and an Archie Gray own goal.
“It wasn’t a great first half. I guess the majority of that is down to me. I changed the team and changed the structure (to a three-man defence),” said Postecoglou.
“We had a couple of setbacks in terms of player availability and we struggled to get control of the game and allowed Everton to capitalise on that.
“Obviously at half-time we had a mountain to climb. Fair play to the players, they kept going until the end but ultimately fell short.
“I have the responsibility of the group of players. I do have to try and get us through this and that’s what I’ve got to focus on.
“For me to focus on anything else is abstaining myself from the responsibility I have. I’m just determined to get us out of this.”
Tottenham’s injury list stood at 10 before kick-off after the latest blow saw Dominic Solanke sustain a knee injury in Saturday’s training session, with Radu Dragusin not emerging for the second half after sustaining a cut to the head.
Asked whether he could address the issue in the closing weeks of the transfer market the Spurs boss added: “As far as I know at the moment there’s nothing imminent.
“I assume between now and the end of the window hopefully something comes up.
“I separate myself from that. The club’s doing its best (but it’s) more about helping the players than helping me because they’re the ones we’re asking some massive jobs.
“We had a 17-year-old out there trying to win games of football for us.”
On Solanke’s injury Postecoglou said: “We don’t think it’s serious but probably a few weeks (out) at this stage from what I’ve heard.”
The returning David Moyes celebrated his first win as Everton manager just under 12 years after his previous one to give the Toffees the survival boost they hoped for when he was brought in to replace Sean Dyche as they moved four clear of the bottom three.
“I’m just really pleased to give fans something to shout about,” he said.
“We scored three and had another couple of opportunities, the keeper saves one onto the post and the first-half performance was excellent. The aim was to go and get the fourth goal.”
Calvert-Lewin’s third goal of the season was his first in 17 matches but in the two games under Moyes he has looked a rejuvenated player.
