Sunday 5 March 2017 17:38, UK
Ronald Koeman acknowledged Tottenham were deserving winners against Everton on Sunday, saying Spurs were the "better team".
Having trailed 2-0, it looked like the Toffees might snatch a point at White Hart Lane as Romelu Lukaku pulled a goal back in the 81st minute.
Enner Valencia then made it 3-2 in injury-time after Dele Alli scored for the hosts, but Everton could not draw level.
"We did everything to get a good result but they were the better team," Everton manager Koeman told Sky Sports.
"It was a difficult game. Tottenham were strong. We fought until the last second but we made some mistakes. We know at this level we need to do a bit better."
Everton had travelled to London in optimistic mood having not lost in the league in 2017. But they struggled to get into the game until the last 10 minutes.
"We know the quality of Tottenham at home," said Koeman. "At 1-0 we had good organisation and had some counter-attack chances and then you need a bit more composure on the ball. Until the last second we had a chance to get a point, maybe it would not have been deserved but that's football.
"The second goal made it really tough. It was really soon after half-time. We lost the ball in that position and you know it can be a goal.
"After that with the substitutes we came back and scored to make it 2-1 and I believed we could maybe get a point but the third goal killed it."
