Everton were seeking to build on an away record that could only be bettered by Chelsea, Liverpool and surprise package Hull City. By contrast, Wigan had not won in seven games and results over the weekend had seen them drop into the relegation zone.

That poor form ensured an understandably cautious start from the home team, and Everton almost capitalised during a bright opening quarter-hour from the visitors.

A succession of early corners led to Cahill nodding over one Arteta delivery from the left before Yakubu, under pressure from Titus Bramble, was only inches from connecting to Cahill’s tempting cross with a diving header.

Everton came closer still in the 14th minute. Clearing a Wigan free-kick, Fellaini’s strong header allowed Yakubu to race down the left on the counter-attack and play the ball across for Louis Saha to unleash a shot Chris Kirkland did well to beat out.

That finally sparked the home side into action and, after Howard held an angled Maynor Figueroa drive, dead-ball expert Ryan Taylor, formerly of Tranmere Rovers, clipped the top of the crossbar with an ambitious 30-yard free-kick.

Cahill then landed a looping header on to the roof of Kirkland’s net, but Wigan ended the half the stronger.

The visitors should really have scored 10 minutes before the interval when Heskey nodded the ball intelligently across goal for Olivier Kapo to cleverly set up Wilson Palacios who headed wildly over from five yards.

Howard then dropped to his right to clutch Heskey’s header before the Everton goalkeeper produced heroics twice in the final minute of the half to keep his side level.

First, a brilliant, slaloming run from Lee Cattermole saw the Wigan midfielder twist his way beyond Osman, Phil Neville and Josepo Yobo before his curled effort was expertly turned behind by a sprawling Howard.

The American topped that from the subsequent Valencia corner, his strong right hand somehow keeping out Scharner’s header from point-blank range.

Howard may not have known much about it, but his positioning and reflexes were such that it cannot be considered anything other than a fantastic save.

However, there was nothing the goalkeeper could do to prevent Everton falling behind six minutes after the break.

After a searching diagonal pass from Michael Brown found Valencia on the right, the winger advanced and cut inside Lescott far too easily before slipping a clever pass across for Henri Camara to slide home his first Premier League goal since December 2006.

Yakubu was hounded out at the far post as Everton pressed for an immediate response, and later curled an ambitious effort off target.

Wigan were happy to play on the break, and one such move ended in another flying save from Howard to repel a Valencia shot.

With Titus Bramble in the opposing defence hope is never lost, and the defender duly delivered on 74 minutes.

Yakubu’s in-swinging cross from the left should have been left for Kirkland, but Bramble intervened with a slashed clearance that gave Cahill, loitering on the edge of the area, a free shot at an unattended goal only for his shot to be blocked by Scharner.

The Australian then missed a great chance in the second minute of injury time when he blazed over from 12 yards, but that would have been undeserved reward for Everton on a night they will want to quickly forget.