London: Everton climbed to eighth in the Premier League as Mikel Arteta continued his rehabilitation with two goals in a 5-1 home thrashing of Hull City.
The Spanish midfielder, getting back to his best having recovered from a serious knee injury, volleyed his first goal in more than a year after 17 minutes and put Everton 2-1 up six minutes before halftime after a clever backheel by Steven Pienaar.
In between his goals, Everton striker Ayegbeni Yakubu had a penalty saved by Boaz Myhill and 19-year-old Tom Cairney briefly put Hull level with a well-struck 20-metre shot.
Arteta, growing in confidence with each minute of his comeback, had a moral claim for a hat-trick when Everton went 3-1 up six minutes into the second half but his cross-shot went in off Richard Garcia for an own goal.
On-loan American striker Landon Donovan marked what could be his last game for the club with Everton's fourth after 82 minutes then set up Jack Rodwell for the fifth soon after.
It was Everton's sixth-straight home win in the league -- with Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea among their victims -- and their biggest of the season. It left third-last Hull still in deep relegation trouble.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, March 08, 2010, 09:36