Everton blunt Blades to get back to winning ways

Everton's James Beattie (2nd L) is congratulated by his colleagues after scoring against West Ham in 2005. Mikel Arteta's header and Beattie's penalty saw Everton record a 2-0 win over relegation favourites Sheffield United.

Mikel Arteta's header and James Beattie's penalty saw Everton's recent problems in front of goal come to an end at the expense of relegation favourites Sheffield United.

A 2-0 win at Goodison Park also ended a run of four Premiership matches without victory for Everton against opponents who were reduced to ten men after the first half dismissal of defender Claude Davis.

In the closing minutes James McFadden, whose header was superbly saved by Paddy Kenny, and Victor Anichebe both came close to adding to the margin of victory.

But it was a less than convincing win from an Everton team who lost their way after taking the two-goal cushion against a side that now has one point, and no goals, from an available 15 on its travels this season.

Multi-millionaire entertainment mogul Robert Earl was revealed before the match to have bought a 7.2-million-pound stake in Everton although the club was keen to distance itself from suggestions he would be making cash available to spend in the transfer market.

Everton had to overcome a sluggish start but did so, scoring from their first attack of the game, after 13 minutes.

Phil Neville, impressive in an unfamiliar right-back role, was fouled by Colin Kazim-Richards as he crossed from the right-hand touchline.

Referee Dermot Gallagher correctly ignored the flag as Mikel Arteta was allowed the freedom to head past Paddy Kenny from six yards.

With that, Sheffield's fate looked sealed.

Kenny flapped nervously at Neville's long throw-in while Beattie wasted Joleon Lescott's neat pass with a woeful shot over the bar.

Tim Cahill, freshly shortlisted for the European Footballer of the Year award, volleyed just wide from another cross by the prolific Neville.

If the outlook was bleak for the Blades, it became terminally so just after the half hour when Arteta's neat flick forward released Andy Johnson on a run into the area which was rudely interrupted by a clumsy foul from Davis.

The challenge brought Everton a penalty and Sheffield a red card for their centre-half. Beattie struck his second goal of the season quite magnificently past Kenny from the penalty spot.

United needed a response before the break to at least make the second half competitive and they almost pulled that off, substitute Chris Morgan unmarked at Keith Gillespie's far post free-kick but missing the target with a terrible header.

Duly spurred on, Tim Howard was forced into a superb point blank save from Kazim-Richards' header and Rob Hulse shot inches wide before the interval.

Johnson ended the first half by striking the post, having been released by a clever touch from Arteta, but the visitors opened the second continuing in a relatively bright attacking mode without finding the net.

Mikele Leigertwood surged forward from a Gillespie pass and rolled his shot inches beyond the far post when the whole goal beckoned.