Everton's four-game Premier League winning run came to a bitter end in a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in North London.
It was not for the want of trying for Sean Dyche's troops, who fought valiantly and cut the deficit in half through Andre Gomes in the dying embers, but first-half efforts from former Toffee Richarlison and Son Heung-min proved the difference in a nervy success for Ange Postecoglou's crop.
Owing to Yves Bissouma and Destiny Udogie's suspensions, Postecoglou introduced Oliver Skipp and Emerson Royal into the Spurs XI, while Vitaliy Mykolenko was passed fit to start at left-back for Everton.
The Toffees had avoided conceding in each of their four successive top-flight victories ahead of Saturday's encounter, but their hopes of five consecutive away wins in the Premier League for the first time ever diminished just nine minutes in thanks to an old flame.
Brennan Johnson and Pedro Porro combined on the right before Pape Sarr's slide-rule pass picked out the run of the latter, whose low delivery was met by ex-Everton attacker Richarlison for a crisp near-post finish.
The Brazilian apologetically put his hand up, but not before a Harry Kane-esque jump and fist pump, and Spurs should have doubled their lead in the 13th minute, but Johnson fired high from Emerson Royal's cutback.
The hosts continued to huff and puff, though, and they got their reward in the 18th minute thanks to a short-corner routine, which saw Johnson's strike parried back into the danger area by Jordan Pickford, and Son was the quickest to react, firing a shot into the ground and through a sea of bodies en route to the back of the net.
Everton's afternoon went from bad to worse when Idrissa Gueye was forced off with just 24 minutes gone - the fit-again Gomes took his place - but the Toffees bombarded the Spurs goal with shot after shot as the first half drew to a close.
None of those opportunities paid dividends, but Everton picked up where they left off after the restart and had the ball in the back of the net in the 51st minute, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin finished emphatically across Guglielmo Vicario.
However, Michael Oliver sent Stuart Attwell across to the monitor to check a possible Gomes foul on Emerson, which appeared soft, but Everton's lifeline was soon wiped out.
The hard-done-by Toffees did not lose an ounce of belief, but wastefulness was bedevilling them, as James Garner fired just wide in the 61st minute after a sublime pass from Jack Harrison.
Spurs were ostensibly happy to see out a two-goal success, but Everton belatedly reduced the arrears in the 82nd minute, as Tottenham failed to deal with a Garner corner and Gomes unleashed a brilliant strike across goal from the right-hand side of the area.
Smelling blood, Everton came oh so close to levelling matters in the 84th minute, but former Spurs loanee Arnaut Danjuma was denied by a fine Vicario save, and Ben Davies produced a vital goal-line clearance from the resulting corner as James Tarkowski met Dwight McNeil's delivery.
Everton were granted six minutes of added time to try to complete the comeback, but lady luck was not on their side, as with the final attack of the game, Danjuma's drive hit the crossbar and Vicario before staying out by a matter of centimetres.
The welcome sound of the full-time whistle soon blew for a beleaguered Tottenham, who will spend Christmas above Manchester City in fourth place, while 16th-placed Everton are only four points clear of the drop zone.
Tottenham now enjoy the luxury of a four-day recovery period before a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on December 28, whereas Everton host Club World Cup champions Manchester City on Wednesday. body check tags ::
