Moyes: Beattie will not be sold in transfer window

EVERTON manager David Moyes insisted James Beattie would not be sold during the January transfer window after the striker was again overlooked for the goalless draw with Premiership strugglers Middlesbrough.

Beattie has failed to make a sustained impact on Merseyside since his arrival from Southampton in a £6m move two years ago.

The emergence of 18-year-old Victor Anichebe has left him further marginalised, and this was the third successive game in which Beattie has failed to start.

Furthermore, he has not scored for more than two months and this latest snub — Anichebe again started ahead of him – fuelled speculation Beattie is poised to leave Goodison Park next month.

Former club Blackburn and Newcastle are among those rumoured to be interested in the 28-year-old, although Moyes said: “James is fine and he definitely won’t be sold in the window. An awful lot of you people are making up stories at the moment, but he’s not for sale.

“James is determined to play for Everton and improve what he’s all about and I’m sure he’s capable of doing that.”

Everton largely dominated a Boro side who have not won away in the Premiership all season but referee Phil Dowd turned down no fewer than four penalty appeals.

“I haven’t seen it (the Johnson penalty claim) but everybody I’ve spoken to said Andy has been pulled,” said Moyes.

“Andy reacted as if he’d been pulled back but I’ve not had a chance to see it again. We’ve given up and we don’t appeal (for penalties) now. We don’t even jump up on the touchline anymore.”

Johnson did not go to ground under Taylor’s challenge but his appeal suggested he clearly felt the Boro defender had impeded his movement.

Moyes added: “The people who are refereeing games, we trust them and we expect them to make the right calls. We played well and on another day we could have won.’’

Boro coach Gareth Southgate was pleased with the result as his players dug deep to grind out a vital point.

He said: “We showed incredible resilience, even before half-time, when we were pegged back in our half. There was some terrific last-ditch defending and bags of character. They are just the sort of qualities you need when you come somewhere like this.”

Southgate added: “I thought we needed to offer more of a threat in the second half and the two boys up front were a handful. Johnson was a real handful but Woodgate and Emanuel Pogatetz were superb.”

EVERTON: Howard, Davies, Yobo, Lescott, Naysmith (Nuno Valente 66), Osman, Carsley, Arteta, McFadden (Van der Meyde 66), Johnson, Anichebe (Beattie 74).

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Davies, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Mendieta (Viduka 46), Boateng, Cattermole (Parnaby 74), Downing, Arca, Yakubu.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).