Keane own goal gives Spurs win over Everton

FILE Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean striker Son Heung-Min

An own goal by Michael Keane proved the difference as Tottenham Hotspur beat visitors Everton 1-0 in a dour Premier League clash on Monday to move up to eighth in the standings.

Defeat would have seen Spurs fall below the visitors into the bottom half of the table but they held on fairly comfortably to stretch their unbeaten league run versus Everton to 15 games.

Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso thought he had scored his first Premier League goal for Tottenham in the 23rd minute but his shot on the turn took a decisive deflection off Keane to leave keeper Jordan Pickford with no chance.

Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris was hardly tested in the first half although he was involved in a flashpoint as the players left the pitch at the interval, getting into a furious row with team mate Son Heung-min.

Son forced a couple of saves from Pickford in the second half while Everton offered precious little as they lost their first game since the resumption of the season.

Tottenham have 48 points from 33 games, one behind Arsenal and nine adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea. Everton remain 11th.