VIEW FROM THE STANDS: Exemplary Mikel Arteta proves his worth

Oct 1 2007 Conor Francis, Liverpool Daily Post

WHAT price Mikel Arteta? If Everton were prepared to pay a whopping £12million for Manuel Fernandes, the little Spanish schemer must be worth quite a bit more.

Arteta has become the heartbeat of the side. Without him Everton are a solid, hard-working side who will eke out enough points to stay clear of the relegation quagmire. With him, the chances start to flow and when they are taken, as yesterday, European places are on the horizon once more.

The over-reliance on Arteta to provide the cutting edge, the touch of flair to break down stubborn teams, is a worry, especially when Tim Cahill and Thomas Gravesen are also out.

Perhaps that’s why Moyes was prepared to break the bank to get Fernandes on board, although at that price I still think it’s a lucky escape. Arteta’s pass to find Steven Pienaar for the second goal was sublime, drawing the defenders one way and then sliding the ball across them to find Pienaar, who had cleverly dropped off to find a bit of space in the box.

Let’s hope some of Arteta’s magic rubs off on Pienaar. He has shown flashes of skill but needs to adjust to the Premiership as Arteta has done. You do not need to mix it up with the opposition, just stand your ground.

Arteta’s fleet- footedness helps keep him one step ahead as does his sharpness of mind. So a couple of good wins to head for the Ukraine on the back of, but it will take one of the club’s best ever results in Europe to make it a week to remember.