Everton 3-1 Wigan

Goals from Phil Jagielka, Apostolos Vellios and Royston Drenthe secure a valuable 3-1 victory over Wigan at Goodison Park.

David Moyes opted to name the same side that started against Aston Villa last week, that meant persisting with Tim Cahill up front, with the fit again Louis Saha left out of the squad entirely.

Franco Di Santo put Wigan ahead against the run of play on the half hour mark. The 22-year-old Argentinian´s effort took a deflection of Tony Hibbert to evade Tim Howard to stun Goodison Park.

Everton responded immediately. Just 96 seconds later, Tim Cahill saw his effort rebound off the post but Phil Jagielka´s followed up to head home from six yards out. Pandemonium. Everton 1-1 Wigan.

In truth, Everton were frustrating and looked lethargic for most of the game from then on. David Moyes was forced to introduce Royston Drenthe early in the second half for the injured Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, and later, on 66 minutes, Seamus Coleman made way for Apostolos Vellios.

And it was the teenage Greek striker Vellios who put Everton ahead on 84 minutes with a well directed header from 14 yards out, after meeting Tony Hibbert´s inch-perfect cross.

Wigan then very nearly delivered a sucker-punch. Dave Jones saw his 20 yard shot strike the woodwork just seconds after Everton took the lead.

Roston Drenthe then secured the victory at the death with a convincing finish from outside the box having capitalised on a flick-on from Denis Stracqualursi, who had been introduced for his Goodison debut seconds before Everton took the lead.

FT. Everton 3-1 Wigan.