The former Rangers midfielder unleashed a fine strike from distance on the hour mark to condemn the Wanderers to their second defeat in three matches leaving them with just one point from a possible nine since the turn of the month.

Ivan Campo of Bolton and Everton's Lee Carsley both wasted good chances in the early part of the game but it was ex-Toffees winger Idan Tal who came the closest to scoring for the visitors when his drive was tipped over the bar by host goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Opposite number Jussi Jaaskelainen managed to get himself in the way of Arteta's effort ten minutes before the break but both sides seemed to lack the killer cutting edge in the final third of the field.

Campo again went incredibally close for Bolton as the half drew ever nearer to a close but he failed to get a clean connection on a cross by striker Kevin Davies.

Both sides where keen to make their mark early on in the second half and Wanderers lively midfielder Tal once again went close as his effort in the 50th minute just went wide.

Everton broke the deadlock with half an hour to play as the fleet footed Arteta made his way to goal before unleashing a peach of a shot into Jaaskelainen's top right hand corner.

Almost immediately the visitors could have pulled themselves level in the game but the woodwork was to deny Bolton on two seperate occasions within sixty seconds of one another.

Firstly Gary Speed's dangerous corner was headed on top of the crossbar by Campo and then Tal went close to haunting his former employers when his curling drive came back off the base of the post.

Another ex-Everton player Speed also went close as the game wound down to a conclusion but the on-loan custodian Howard did well to keep out the attempt from the veteran Welshman.

At half time United manager Neil Warnock read the riot act and the ineffective Keith Gillespie was replaced by former Bury favourite Colin Kazim-Richards at the start of the final period.

Abdoulaye Meite did well to keep England striker Andy Johnson quiet all afternoon but no matter how hard Bolton probed or pushed they could not find that elusive equalising goal meaning the next two matches against Arsenal and Chelsea at home will be all the more important.

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Tal Ben-Haim, Abdoulaye Meite, Henrik Pedersen, Ivan Campo (Stelios Giannakopoulos), Gary Speed (Ricardo Vaz-Te), Idan Tal, Kevin Davies (Abdoulaye Faye), Nicolas Anelka, El-Hadji Diouf

Subs Not Used: Quinton Fortune, Ian Walker (GK)

Everton: Tim Howard, Joseph Yobo, Alan Stubbs, Joleon Lescott, Nuno Valente, Phil Neville, Leon Osman, Lee Carsley, Mikel Arteta, Andy Johnson, James Beattie (Victor Anichebe)

Subs Not Used: David Weir, Andy Van Der Meyde, James Vaughan, Richard Wright (GK)

Referee:

Uraiah Rennie

Attendance:

34,417

Booked:

Phil Neville (Everton)

Victor Anichebe (Everton)

Andy Johnson (Everton)

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