IT wasn’t just Morten Gamst Pedersen who got one in the eye at Ewood Park on Saturday.

The Norwegian was on the receiving end of a finger-jabbing from Mikel Arteta, but it was the whole of the Blackburn Rovers team that suffered at the hands of the mercurial Spaniard and his Everton team-mates.

And with it came a reminder to the clubs above them of how David Moyes’s side are refusing to give up their quest for European qualification without an almighty fight.

What a difference four days makes. After the heartbreak of Phil Jagielka’s last-gasp own goal at Villa Park, on this occasion it was Everton’s turn to benefit from an injury-time intervention.

For the third time in a week, Tim Cahill, the perennial ‘Johnny on the spot’ for Moyes, proved the right man in the right place at the right moment.

But for once, the Australian had to cede centre stage in the headline-grabbing stakes.

Step forward Yakubu. The Nigerian can polarise opinion among the most balanced group of Everton supporters and has struggled to regain his form this season after missing almost 10 months with a serious Achilles injury.

But at the weekend Yakubu demonstrated why he retains the faith of his manager – by being fed and doing the feeding himself.

With Everton on the verge of somehow throwing away another two points, the striker was introduced from the bench with 12 minutes remaining.

Barely seconds later, he had equalised with his first touch, nodding in from close range after fellow substitute Victor Anichebe flicked on a long throw by Leighton Baines from the left flank.

As the proverbial inspired substitution, it would take some beating – although to be fair, Blackburn would have found it hard to completely pick up Yakubu’s run from deep considering it started from the bench.

Then, in stoppage time, with the visitors having been pegged back again and heading for a damaging fourth successive draw, Yakubu showed a cool head and an unselfish attitude to sidestep a rash challenge from young Blackburn defender Phil Jones, make his way to the byline and cross low for Cahill to prod home the winner in front of the ecstatic travelling support.

Phew. Even in success, Everton continue to live up to their reputation of doing things the hard way.

Although still reliant on either Aston Villa or neighbours Liverpool slumping dramatically during the closing weeks in pursuit of seventh place and the final Europa League berth, Moyes’s men are keeping their side of the bargain.

One down, three to go. Saturday’s trip to Blackburn was always likely to be the most difficult task – only Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur had previously won away at Ewood Park in the Premier League this season – and the confidence of this triumph will surely carry them through their less-than-intimidating remaining games against Fulham, Stoke City and Portsmouth.

Everton’s efforts will be boosted by the presence of Arteta, the Spaniard a surprise and welcome starter at the weekend after sitting out the previous three games through injury.

His 19th-minute flashpoint with Pedersen, in which he took exception to a spiteful challenge by the niggly Norwegian by prodding him in the cheek and then the eye, could easily have prematurely curtailed his afternoon had referee Andre Marriner taken a more stern view.

The Spaniard had already earned and converted the penalty from which Everton took a fourth-minute lead, found at the far post by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov’s cross and then coaxing Ryan Nelsen into a clear lunging foul before coolly sending Paul Robinson the wrong way from the spot – his fifth goal in as many games.