An understrength but ebullient Tottenham side progressed deservedly into the quarter-finals of a competition with which they have great affinity.

Harry Redknapp’s team can now prepare for Saturday’s trip to the Emirates Stadium with no little confidence, not least because his fringe players, if needed against Arsenal, appear to have stepped up a gear.

Most notable among these is David Bentley, whose starting appearances this season have been limited to the Carling Cup, but who, far from sulking about it, delivered an invigorating and mature performance.

After 31 minutes he set up the opening goal with a cross that looped over Everton heads and landed at the feet of Tom Huddlestone.

“I’ve encountered every problem in the book,” Bentley said, while admitting he has not been fully focused on his football. This time last year Spurs met Arsenal in the league and Bentley was the star of the show, scoring a wonder goal in a sensational 4-4 draw. But he has failed to match that quality and has been hitting the headlines for misdemeanours off the pitch.

“His attitude in training hasn’t been as good as it could have been,” Redknapp said. “When he plays like that, I want to keep him.”

Roman Pavlyuchenko has also mystified Redknapp and the Tottenham manager had wondered, publicly, what might be the best way to bring the striker to life. The Russian’s main flaw, it seems, is that he is too relaxed and he certainly looked it when presented with a kind rebound that left him with only Tim Howard to beat.

The resultant shot was well wide, as was his effort a few minutes later when Alan Hutton drove the ball in towards Pavlyuchenko’s near-post run.

The home crowd decided, however, that their No 9 needed plenty of encouragement, not barracking, so they ignored his profligacy and sang his name instead.

There was no disguising Everton’s frailties in defence, even if the team did look unfamiliar wearing an all-purple strip for charity.

David Moyes’s side are on a run of five games without a win and they have now conceded ten goals in their past three matches.

Last night’s encounter was their third game in six days and Moyes refused to face the media after defeat as a form of protest; his request for the match to be rescheduled was ignored.

Arsenal’s tie with Liverpool was chosen as the televised match for tonight and that meant their North London rivals could not play on the same evening.

Possibly, Moyes was relieved not to have to explain how it went so wrong. Spurs doubled their lead after 57 minutes in a moment of sheer comedy. Sylvain Distin had found Robbie Keane an irritant throughout and brought him down for a soft penalty that the Ireland striker took but his shot was easily saved by Howard.

Everton, though, allowed the ball to ping around the penalty area for far too long and Keane finally rifled it in from two yards out.

Redknapp is unlikely to face an Arsenal side tired from the exertions of their own Carling Cup adventure because Arsène Wenger prefers to give the competition over to his younger stars.

But Redknapp will not follow suit and let his fringe players call this competition their own. Instead he will pick the best side available and “go for it”.

Bentley, though, should be picked again on Saturday, with Aaron Lennon not likely to be fit.

Lennon’s fine form is one reason that Bentley “didn’t see light at the end of the tunnel,” as Redknapp put it.

“It’s an interesting selection problem for me,” the manager said.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): H Gomes — A Hutton, M Dawson, S Bassong, B Assou-Ekotto — D Bentley, T Huddlestone, W Palacios, G Bale — R Keane, R Pavlyuchenko. Substitutes not used: D Button, J Jenas, K Naughton, V Corluka, D Devite, D Parrett, H Kane.

Everton (4-4-2): T Howard — L Neill, S Distin, J Heitinga, A Hibbert — D Gosling, J Rodwell, M Fellaini, T Cahill — Yakubu Ayegbeni, L Saha (sub: Jô, 46). Substitutes not used: C Nash, S Coleman, S Duffy, K Agard, J Baxter, J Wallace. Booked: Hibbert, Heitinga, Cahill.

Referee: L Mason.