Even the reappearance of Jack Grealish was not enough to stop Everton slumping to their first defeat at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Grealish was thrust straight back into the starting line-up after having to sit out last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at parent club Manchester City.
Tottenham Hotspur stars celebrate win at Everton
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Spurs have become the first team other than Everton to win at Hill Dickinson StadiumCredit: Getty
Jack Grealish during Everton's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur
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Grealish didn't get any joy during Spurs' visitCredit: Getty
The England winger is no doubt keen to make an impression to convince Thomas Tuchel he is worthy of an England recall ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
But that won’t be easy given the lack of fire-power he has to supply ahead of him.
Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye were bright sparks for the Toffees on a rare bleak day at their magnificent new home on the banks of the Mersey.
There will be many more frustrating afternoons like this one for Everton and their expensive loanee unless David Moyes and the hierarchy can find a solution to their obvious striker problem.
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It does not seem to matter who starts up front, be it Beto or £27m summer signing Thierno Barry, both flatter to deceive before inevitably being replaced by the other.
In this instance it was Beto who laboured as the supposed focal point of the Everton attack until being put out of his misery 24 minutes from time.
It could have been a very different story had Beto not fluffed his lines after only four minutes when he failed to properly connect with Ndiaye’s teasing low cross with the goal at his mercy.
He was also too ambitious when attempting a scissor kick from another Ndiaye cross in the second half when a more simple finish may have proved fruitful.
By the time Beto was hooked it had become blindingly obvious that Grealish had lost faith in his misfiring frontman and on several occasions opted to pass the ball backwards rather than risk it being given away up top.
"It's a huge concern now," Moyes told me on Everton's lack of options up top.
Jack Grealish argues with referee during Everton's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur
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Grealish has four assists in seven Premier League matches this seasonCredit: Getty
Jack Grealish applauds Everton fans
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But Everton's issues up front may mean Grealish could struggle to add to his outputCredit: AFP
"I think as managers we want to give our players encouragement. We want to make sure we're incredibly supportive which we are of the two of them.
"Ultimately you're here to score the goals if you're a number nine or that's what you see yourself being.
"We need to look to see if we're creating big enough or good enough chances for them.
"Quite often as a striker we might not always be getting it but you've got to find a way of getting a goal yourself. That's your job.
"We'll keep encouraging them but we need them to do better."
It did not get much better for the frustrated Everton fans, whose side had more than enough of the ball to hurt their visitors from north London, after the introduction of Barry.
David Moyes during Everton's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur
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Toffees boss Moyes even recognises Everton's struggles up frontCredit: Getty
Micky van de Ven celebrates after Tottenham beat Everton
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Micky van de Ven scored twice at Hill Dickinson StadiumCredit: Getty
Pape Matar Sarr scores during Tottenham's win over Everton
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Before Pape Matar Sarr rounded off the victory with this headerCredit: Getty
A deflected long-range effort which looped high over the crossbar into Everton’s blue wall behind Spurs keeper Vicario’s goal was as close as he came to breaking his Premier League duck.
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Moyes spoke in his programme notes about Everton ‘needing to compete with the best’ and Spurs’ 3-0 triumph, courtesy of two Micky van de Ven headers and another late on from substitute Pape Sarr was not really a fair reflection of the game.
But one goal in a combined 18 Premier League games for Beto and Barry tells it’s own tale for the toothless Toffees.