Everton 2 – 0 Middlesbrough

Two sides lacking in form met in what on paper should be a home banker.

It was a disjointed start to the game with neither side getting the ball down and playing, Everton in particular guilty of lumping the ball upfield.

The home side had a scare on 5mins when Lee played in Boateng only for him to hit an easy chance, from 10 yards out, wide.

A minute later and there was slack defending at the other end as there was chaos in the Boro box form a corner with the resulting poor clearance finding Lescott free 5 yards out to duly nod home.

The goal failed to settle Everton and Boro continued to apply pressure, O’Neil coming closest on 11mins after a knock down by Mido only for his weak shot to be easily saved.

It took until the 13^th minute for the hoem side to have some meaningful possession as Arteta began to dictate proceeding in the middle of the park.

On 18mins, Everton should have had a second as Baines’ cross found Yakubu unmarked and 6 yards from goal but the 11 million pound striker headed over.

With a quarter of the game gone neither side were looking comfortable in possession as both sets of players were quick to close down.

The crowd were quite subdued and nervous as the home side failed to hold onto the ball and Boro looked to take the initiative.

There was a third missed sitter on 24mins when Lee rose to meet the ball 5 yards from goal only to hit the bar as Boro continued to hold Everton back.

The home side weathered the storm and came back to life on 32mins when Arteta jinked inside the Boro box to unleash a good effort which Schwarzer was equal to.

There was a rare good move, in what was a bitty and tight affair, on 39mins when Pienaar got on the end of a swept in cross from Hibbert only to head over.

Everton eventually got the game by the scruff of the neck late in the half with Pienaar and McFadden coming into it more. Their best effort coming for the talismanic Arteta on 44mins with his powerful shot hit straight at Schwarzer.

The second half continued where the first left off as Everton looked more assured in possession. On 50mins some great link up play saw Pienaar in room on the left only for the South African to hit a poor cross with 4 blue shirts in the box.

Boro were edging back into the match on 53mins when the out-of-his-depth Lee volleyed well wide. Indeed Everton’s second came against the run of play, Arteta and Pienaar linking up well with the Spaniards deft ball across the box steered into the net by the former Ajax man.

The home sides confidence was renewed and they seemed happy to take whatever Boro could throw at them having gone two up. They finally shut up shop on 73mins when they went to a 4-5-1 formation.

It was a comfortable end to the game for Everton and although it wasn;t one for the spectator it was a particularly solid looking defensive display for the closing 10mins, Boro’s only chance a tame Craddock header.

Man of the Match: Mikel Arteta – carried his team for the best part of an hour and always looked positive in possession