Premier League: Wigan 1 Everton 1

Wigan and Everton played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday, as Victor Anichebe came off the bench to earn his side a point at DW Stadium.

The game seemed to be drifting towards a 0-0 draw until the 75th minute when a Jean Beasuejour cross deflected off Phil Neville and spun past Tim Howard into the back of the net.

It was a terrible miscalculation by the American, who should have easily claimed the ball, but his blushes were spared by substitute Anichebe who rose to head home a Leighton Baines cross eight minutes later with his first touch of the match.

The home side settled into the game the quickest and had some good possession in the opening quarter of the game.

New signing Jean Beausejour impressed down the left wing but the lack of a presence in the penalty area meant Wigan were unable to take advantage.

Steven Pienaar, on loan from Spurs, began the game as though he had never left Everton, gliding past challenges and creating chances for Tim Cahill and Denis Stacqualursi, neither of which tested Ali Al Habsi.

Wigan’s first sight of goal came in the 20th minute when Franco Di Santo was found by a long ball from Maynor Figueroa. The defender played a ball over the top of Sylvain Distin, and it dropped nicely for the Argentine but his shot was saved by Howard.

The game struggled to find momentum as the bitterly cold temperatures took effect.

Chances were at a premium but with five minutes of the first half remaining the visitors had the clearest opportunity of the game.

Baines raced clear down the left with a surging run and from the by-line he pulled a low cross back to Darron Gibson on the edge of the area but his strike flew high over the crossbar.

The second half took a long time to get going as both sides exchanged possession without ever getting into a dangerous position.

The introduction of new signing Nikica Jelavic on the hour mark lifted the Everton fans and helped their team raise the tempo but chances continued to be few and far between.

The game was sparked into life in the 75th minute when Wigan were gifted the lead.

Beausejour’s cross hit the foot of Phil Neville and seemed to be rolling into Howard’s hands, but the ‘keeper failed to read the spin on the ball by Neville’s touch and it rolled past his hands and into the bottom corner.

The Wigan goal forced David Moyes into a substitution, and it paid dividends immediately as Anichebe got his side level with a close range header.

The striker rose to head a Baines cross into the back of the net in the 83rd minute and secure his team a point.