EVERTON manager David Moyes hailed the all-round play of match-winner Ayegbeni Yakubu as well as the Nigerian’s finishing after he fired the Goodison Park outfit to a hard fought 1-0 victory over Stoke City.

Yakubu became the first Everton striker to find the net in the Premier League this season when he struck after 67 minutes against a dogged Potters side, registering in club colours for the first time since the 3-2 win at Blackburn Rovers on April 17.

Moyes revealed earlier this season that the former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough player had been keen on a summer move to West Ham United when his former Maccabi Haifa coach Avram Grant made two bids for him and the 27-year-old did not start a match until over a month into the campaign due to doubts over his fitness after returning from the World Cup finals.

However, the Scot now hopes that Yakubu can recapture the form that prompted him to splash out a then club record £11.25million for his services in 2007.

Moyes said: “I think his all-round play was better. Obviously we need a goalscorer who can score us 15 a season to give us a real chance.

“I think Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa all have a centre-forward like that, someone who can get them the goals.”

Moyes also hit out at any suggestions that the powerful Nigerian has been carrying any excess weight (he is listed at 83kg/13st 1lb).

He said: “People say that but his weight is the same as it has been for the last two years.

“I think we all know as we get older (say 28 for example) you might look the same but you are putting on some weight but Yak isn’t, he weighs the same as he has for the last couple of years.”