Arteta strikes late to snatch draw for Toffees

MIKEL ARTETA denied teenager Danny Welbeck’s two-goal salvo all the headlines last night as Everton snatched a late equaliser at Sunderland.

The Spaniard’s 82nd-minute shot was deflected past keeper Craig Gordon by the helpless Phil Bardsley to ensure a topsy-turvy encounter ended all square.

Nineteen-year-old Welbeck looked to have fired the Black Cats into sixth in the Premier League with a double either side of half-time as he cancelled out and then overhauled Tim Cahill’s early opener.

Welbeck, on loan from Manchester United, might have claimed victory deep into injury time, but he blazed wide from close range, and he should have been made to pay in front of a crowd of 37,331 at the death when substitute Jermaine Beckford passed up a glorious opportunity to win it.

“We were disappointed not to get the three points but we played really well and did well to keep it at 2-2,” said Welbeck. “We’ll take it as a positive and move on.”

Manager Steve Bruce, though, was satisfied with the result: “We started slowly against one of the better teams in the Premier League. That put us on the back foot but we responded and overall I have to say I would have taken a 2-2 — we’re a little bit aggrieved we’ve conceded too late but I think a draw was a fair result.’

Sunderland have now played every one of last season’s top 10 and lost to none of them, with only promoted West Brom and Newcastle having collected all three points against them.

In this most unpredictable of Premier League seasons, there was an inevitability about how things would unfold at the Stadium of Light.

The game was only six minutes old when Tim Cahill, following good inter-play between Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar, managed to find enough space inside the Sunderland penalty area to meet Baines’ inviting cross to give Everton the lead.

That link-up proved to be the main avenue to goal for the Toffees as Baines and Pienaar caused problems for opposite numbers Nedum Onuoha and Bolo Zenden. However, the Dutchman turned the tables with 23 minutes gone to pave the way for his side’s equaliser. He skipped away from Pienaar on the touchline and deftly manoeuvred his way past Baines to fire a low cross to the near post where Welbeck, who scored his first goal for the club at Stamford Bridge, eagerly slammed the ball home.

The visitors finished the half strongly, but Welbeck headed just over as play switched swiftly from end to end.

Sunderland returned in determined mood and repeatedly put the Everton goal under threat in the opening five minutes of the second half. But it was Cahill who almost did the damage once again with 55 minutes gone when he was allowed to run on to Phil Neville’s ball over the to and lob the advancing Gordon.

The ball looked to be creeping inside the near post until Michael Turner launched a desperate clearance which left him needing treatment.

Welbeck made the breakthrough on 71 minutes. Jagielka did well to get a block on Darren Bent’s shot to concede a corner and when Richardson crossed at the second time of asking, Welbeck looped a header over Howard and into the net.

But with time running down, the unfortunate Bardsley deflected Arteta’s shot past keeper Gordon.

SUNDERLAND: Gordon, Onuoha, Turner, Ferdinand, Bardsley, Richardson, Henderson (Elmohamady 85), Cattermole, Zenden (Malbranque 69), Bent, Welbeck.

EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman (Rodwell 65), Arteta, Heitinga (Beckford 83), Pienaar, Saha (Yakubu 82), Cahill.

Referee: Peter Walton.