Arteta's artistry paints ominous picture for Wigan

Everton have been criticised for failing to build on their sixth- placed finish with any serious transfer activity but perhaps the answer to their dreams lies closer to home. Mikel Arteta, the club's player of the year for the last two seasons, gave another masterclass at Goodison to suggest his signing of an improved five- year deal this summer was the shrewdest piece of business manager David Moyes could have done.

The Spanish midfielder was at the heart of most of his team's best football to send Evertonians away happy. Thirty years after Elvis' death, the blue hordes might opt for You Gotta Believe as their theme. For Wigan, Way Down might be more apt.

Actually, that would be harsh, for the visitors made a decent fist of things in the second half and answered goals either side of the interval by Leon Osman and Victor Anichebe with a good finish from Antoine Sibierski, one of five debutants on show for the Latics. Not much is expected of Chris Hutchings' team this season and his previous managerial stint - one win from a dozen League games after replacing Paul Jewell, also his Wigan predecessor, at Bradford in June 2000 - offers little encouragement. Yet asking if he was feeling the pressure after this narrow defeat on the opening day was surely unnecessary. "You can't go down on the first day of the season," he replied, adding. "I thought there were some positives today. Their first goal was a bit lucky, it was a nothing cross, and although some bad defending contributed to their second we will just have to learn from that. Goodison is a tough place to come."

In fact, Wigan had won and drawn their two previous Premier League visits here but they never settled in the first half and Everton went ahead after 25 minutes. Titus Bramble misjudged the pace of Tony Hibbert's cross and Osman's opportunist header caught Chris Kirkland off his line. Wigan should have been further behind two minutes later when the error-prone Bramble appeared to bring down Arteta.

Goodison, including Moyes, roared its disapproval but referee Mark Clattenburg was unmoved. Moyes later said he thought Clattenburg was right. "Arteta's trickery deserved a goal though," he added.

Hutchings kept the faith at half-time but his team almost conceded again after an hour when an Arteta free-kick caused chaos inside the Wigan area. Anichebe's muscular presence unsettled the lightweight Kirkland, Lee Carsley hooked the ball back in, which the keeper spilled once more, and only the impressive Andreas Granqvist, blocking from Osman on the line, saved the visitors.

Hutchings replaced striker Caleb Folan with Sibierski, but it was when Moyes introduced Steven Pienaar in place of Osman that the next breakthrough came about. The South African, on a season-long loan from Borussia Dortmund, showed some neat touches in a move that ended with Andy Johnson's skilful play setting up a tap-in for Anichebe after 75 minutes.

Arteta forced Kirkland into a full-stretch save yet Wigan were not finished and Sibierski neatly tucked away a cross from Paul Scharner 10 minutes from the end. The Austrian midfielder then tested Tim Howard with a powerful 20-yard effort. This time, though, Everton held on.

"I thought we showed some good play and in the main we were in control," said Moyes, celebrating his 200th League game in charge. "The 200 mark was only pointed out to me yesterday but it is a great honour. Not many managers in the Premier League get that opportunity." Hutchings would echo that sentiment.

Everton Howard

Hibbert Lescott Stubbs Yobo

Arteta Carsley Neville Richardson

Johnson Anichebe

Heskey Folan

Koumas Scharner Landzaat Valencia

Kilbane Bramble Granqvist Melchiot

Wigan Kirkland

Sibierski (80)

Osman (26), Anichebe (75)

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