Harry Kane showcased exactly why Tottenham are so desperate to keep him as he scored twice in a 2-2 draw at Everton, but an apparent ankle knock sustained in stoppage time will give Spurs serious cause for concern.
Tottenham insist their star man is not for sale at any price despite constant speculation surrounding his future, and it is easy to see why after he scored two clinical goals at Goodison Park.
He opened the scoring in the 27th minute after a defensive error and then, following a Gylfi Sigurdsson double either side of half-time put Everton in front, the England captain earned a point 20 minutes from time.
In doing so he moved two goals in front of Mohamed Salah at the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts, taking his tally to 21 for the season before limping off injured late on.
As he has done so often, he again carried Spurs on what was an overall disappointing showing and their top-four hopes suffered a possible terminal blow, sitting five points behind West Ham having played a game more, as the pressure increases on a forlorn Jose Mourinho.
Everton are a point behind, so this result does not help them much and they will rue squandering the lead and then missing key chances in the second half.
It appeared February’s nine-goal FA Cup thriller had used up all the fun for this fixture as it was a drab opening 25 minutes, where Richarlison’s shot which Hugo Lloris comfortably saved was the only moment that passed as entertainment.
But the game burst into life with two goals in four minutes.
Spurs took the lead with their first foray into Everton’s box as Kane was clinical. Mason Holgate missed Tanguy Ndombele’s cross and Kane controlled and fired into the bottom corner.
Mourinho’s men let another advantage slip thanks to a quickfire response from the hosts.
Sergio Reguilon clattered into the back of James Rodriguez, with Michael Oliver immediately pointing to the spot even though replays suggested Rodriguez kicked the floor and contact was minimal.
Sigurdsson made no mistake from the spot, sending Lloris the wrong way.
Everton gained momentum from their leveller and should have gone in front before half-time.
A brilliant move saw Richarlison play in Rodriguez, but the Colombian’s snapshot was brilliantly saved by Lloris, who also kept out a Richarlison header before the break.
It did not take much for Spurs to improve after half-time and they fashioned good chances in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.
First, Son Heung-min ghosted into the area and shot straight at Jordan Pickford when Kane was begging for a pull-back and, after more great work by Kane to open up play, Ndombele’s effort was deflected over the crossbar.
From the resulting corner, Toby Alderweireld came closest to regaining Spurs’ lead, but his header hit the near post.
But it was Everton who moved in front just after the hour mark with a fine goal.
They again cut Spurs open, working the ball out to Seamus Coleman, who pulled back to Sigurdsson to fire home a brilliant first-time finish into the far corner.
However, they were masters of their own downfall as they allowed Spurs to hit back just six minutes later.
Michael Keane and Holgate collided with each other when trying to clear a cross and the ball fell to the one man they did not want it to and Kane made them pay, lashing home in style from 10 yards out.
Kane almost scored a hat-trick minutes later but his header from Lucas Moura’s cross clipped the outside of the post.
It was Everton who were left with their heads in their hands at the end as they squandered a great chance to win it when Lloris denied Josh King and then Richarlison blazed over an open goal from the rebound.
