Everton grab late equaliser at Sunderland

London: Mikel Arteta hauled struggling Everton another point clear of the Premier League drop zone on Monday with a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Sunderland that denied the hosts a place in the top six.

The Spanish playmaker grabbed a much-needed point for the visitors at the Stadium of Light with an 83rd-minute shot that wrong-footed Craig Gordon after the ball took a deflection off Phil Bardsley.

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Sunderland had been heading for all three points after striker Danny Welbeck scored a goal in each half in response to Australian international Tim Cahill's sixth-minute header for Everton.

Welbeck, now with three goals from two games, grabbed the equaliser in the 23rd from 10 yards and made it 2-1 in the 70th with a close-range header.

The draw in an often scrappy match left Sunderland, who stunned champions and league leaders Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge eight days ago, in seventh place.

Everton moved up to 14th, two points clear of the relegation zone.

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Cahill could have doubled his tally, Michael Turner hacking the ball clear off the line before colliding with the upright in the second half and Welbeck missed out on a hat-trick when he shot wide in the dying seconds.

Everton could also have snatched a late winner when substitute Jermaine Beckford missed from 10 yards in stoppage time.

"I think a point's a fair result," Sunderland manager Steve Bruce told BBC radio. "The last 30 seconds really summed it up for both teams. We could have won it, they could have won it."