Jake O'Brien made his first Premier League start as he helped Everton beat Ange Postecoglou's beleaguered Tottenham Hotspur side 3-2 at Goodison Park to boost the Toffees' survival hopes.
The Republic of Ireland defender has been restricted to a bit-part role since signing from Lyon last summer but was named at right-back by manager David Moyes, with Boys in Green and Everton captain Seamus Coleman still unavailable through injury.
Needing to get back to winning ways after a recent poor run of form, Everton took the game to their struggling opponents, racing into a two-goal lead inside 30 minutes through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Iliman Ndiaye.
Things went from bad to worse for Spurs in first-half stoppage time as young Archie Gray put through his own net to ensure Everton scored as many goals within one half of football as in their previous seven games in all competitions.
Goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison caused the home fans some concern late on but the hosts survived to record a win that moved 16th-placed Everton four points clear of the bottom three and within four of sorry Spurs who are one place higher.
On paper, this encounter looked like the perfect platform for Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham side to start to turn around their faltering season, which remarkably sees them looking over their shoulders at the drop zone rather than up the table.
Spurs had lost one of their previous 24 games at Goodison Park prior to Sunday's trip north, while they have won more points from Everton than against any other Premier League team.
Everton have only just sacked their manager Sean Dyche as they again find themselves battling relegation, failing to even score in nine of their previous 11 league matches.
You would not have thought it was Everton struggling for goals though as Calvert-Lewin twisted and turned the Spurs backline inside out before opening the scoring 13 minutes in.
Ndiaye, one of the few bright attacking sparks for Everton this term, compounded Spurs' misery with another fine finish on the half-hour mark after bamboozling Radu Dragusin as the hosts continued to bombard the beleaguered Antonin Kinsky's goal.
Tottenham's Gray was then unfortunate to put through his own net after James Tarkowski headed the ball back across the area.
The visitors dominated possession after the break and at least gave themselves a chance of getting something from the match after Kulusevski's fine lofted finish before Richarlison, against his former club, slid the ball home in stoppage time.
The close scoreline, however, flattered injury-hit Spurs, whose season continues to lurch from one crisis to the next.
It was Tottenham's 12th Premier League loss this term, making it only the sixth campaign in which they have lost as many as 12 games in their first 22 matches of a league season.
Nottingham Forest's remarkable campaign continued with a 3-2 win over struggling Southampton on Sunday but they had to survive a late onslaught before securing the win to move level on points with second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League standings.
The victory puts third-placed Forest on 44 points, six points off leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand, while Southampton remain rooted to the bottom with six points.
Forest were patient in their build-up play and three shots on target in the first half led to three goals, with Saints mostly having no answers to a dominant display, although the home side almost let their commanding lead slip late on.
In the 10th minute, Morgan Gibbs-White flicked a pass on to Elliot Anderson, who drove forward unchallenged before steering his shot low inside the near post from just outside the area.
A heavy first touch from Southampton defender Jan Bednarek close to his own area allowed Chris Wood to steal possession and Forest were in for their second 17 minutes later.
The ball fell to Callum Hudson-Odoi and the Forest man had time to make room before letting fly from outside the box and watch his shot sailed past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Four minutes before the break the game looked over as a contest. Wood played a pass out wide to Ola Aina who floated the ball into the box and the New Zealand striker was there to meet the cross and power his header to the net.
Forest were cruising when Southampton pulled one back from nowhere on the hour mark, with Lesley Ugochukwu's shot taking a wicked deflection off the foot of teammate Bednarek which took the ball looping over keeper Matz Sels and under the crossbar.
Saints continued to push as Joe Aribo and Paul Onuachu forcing saves from Sels and with 12 minutes of added time awarded, the visitors sensed they were still in with a chance.
Onuachu then powered home a header from a corner and suddenly Southampton were all over Forest, with the home side having Ola Aina to thank when he hooked clear a Bednarek header with Sels beaten as they held on to take all three points.
Forest stretched their unbeaten run to eight league games, only dropping points in that period in a 1-1 home draw with Liverpool in midweek, while Southampton manager Ivan Juric has now lost all five league matches since taking over in December.
Additional reporting: Reuters
