Everton add to Derby's woes

Arteta: Netted Opener

Related links

Teams

• Derby County
• Everton

Players

• Mikel Arteta
• Yakubu

Also see

• Derby fixtures
• Derby stats

Derby County slumped to their seventh Premier League defeat in 11 games after a comfortable 2-0 victory for Everton.

The Rams struggled to create against a disciplined Toffees side, and goals from Mikel Arteta and Yakubu Aiyegbeni secured the points for David Moyes' men.

Arteta's first goal of the season handed Everton the lead, and it came courtesy of an excellent Yakubu dummy which bamboozled the Derby defence.

The Nigerian striker was then on target after finding himself in acres of space to slot home with ease.

Arteta should have scored in the third minute when he was presented with a glorious opportunity from Leighton Baines' left-wing cross but side-footed a poor effort straight at Stephen Bywater.

Two minutes later Leighton Baines cut into the Rams box unchallenged and set up a chance

for Steven Pienaar who mis-kicked in front of goal. Tim Cahill was inches wide with a header when the ball was punted back into the box.

With the Rams showing next to nothing, Everton snatched the lead in the 26th minute with a swift counter-attack begun by Phil Jagielka's long ball forward from the half-way line.

Yakubu played a clever dummy which caught out the home defence and gifted Arteta a clear run on goal, with the Spaniard taking full advantage with a low shot under Bywater.

The spluttering Rams responded with a low long-range shot from Stephen Pearson which was well saved by Howard but that proved the best of what passed for their first half chances.

It was business as usual after the break, with Joseph Yobo inches away from extending Everton's lead in the 47th minute when he flashed a header from a Cahill corner inches wide.

With the Rams continuing to offer nothing in attack boss Billy Davies finally decided to introduce record signing Rob Earnshaw in the 57th minute in place of Eddie Lewis.

It was only the second time in seven matches the £3.5million summer buy from Norwich had been given a chance to impress and his goalscoring instincts were certainly required by the lacklustre home side.

They were required more than ever after 62 minutes when Pienaar played a low ball into the Rams box and dismal defending enabled Yakubu to skip through unchallenged and hit a low left-foot shot past Bywater.

The visitors proceeded to coast through the final half hour of a forgettable match with Earnshaw hardly getting a kick and Moyes' men happy enough to simply get back to winning ways.