MIDFIELD general Scott Parker is missing again for Tottenham as they line up against Everton.

Parker limped off with a knee injury against Swansea, and was forced to sit out last week's victory over West Brom.

Jake Livermore takes his place, with Brazilian Sandro out injured along with William Gallas – both suffering calf tears.

Tonight's clash at White Hart Lane marks Michael Dawson's return to Premier League action for the first time since August.

But striker Jermain Defoe is relegated to the bench despite scoring in both of the last two matches.

Tonight's game should have been the season opener, but was postponed after hoodlums ran riot in the streets around White Hart Lane.

Five months on, the game is now likely to give a signal of how genuine Spurs' title challenge can become.

Harry Redknapp's men have been in impressive form after overcoming heavy defeats in the first two games of the season, suffering just one league defeat since.

A win tonight will move them level with Manchester United and three points shy of leaders Manchester City.

However, they face a well-drilled Everton side looking to bounce back from an insipid defeat away to Bolton.

Redknapp, in his programme notes, says this will be a “difficult test”, and Everton will be boosted by the return of Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov is given a start by manager David Moyes in place of Denis Stracqualursi, as Everton look to take three points and move up to ninth in the league. Tottenham Hotspur

Brad Friedel, Kyle Walker, Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Aaron Lennon, Scott Parker, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart, Emmanuel Adebayor

Subs: Carlo Cudicini, Danny Rose, Sebastien Bassong, Steven Pienaar, Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Niko Krancjar

Everton

Tim Howard, Leighton Baines, Jonny Heitinga, Sylvain Distin, Phil Neville, Marouane Fellaini, Tim Cahill, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Louis Saha, Landon Donovan, Victor Anichebe

Subs: Jan Mucha, Royston Drenthe, Apostolos Vellios, James McFadden, Denis Stracqualursi, Magaye Gueye, Shane Duffy