David Moyes fears Mikel Arteta could face weeks out injured

Last updated : 10 March 2011 By Daily Mail

Arteta had to be substituted within the first 10 minutes of the Barclays Premier League match at Goodison Park having sustained an apparent hamstring problem while in a chase with Sebastian Larsson.

The Spanish midfielder has been in impressive form of late and was named captain for the game in the absence of another hamstring victim Phil Neville, but soon had to pass the armband over to Phil Jagielka.

Pain game: Arteta pulls up with a hamstring injury during the draw with Birmingham

When asked about Arteta, Toffees boss David Moyes - who also has Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill in the treatment room - told the club's official website: 'It looks like a hamstring injury.

'It's too early to say - I'm not sure but I'm guessing he will be out for a few weeks.'

Birmingham took a 17th-minute lead through Jean Beausejour's header but John Heitinga rifled in an equaliser from outside the box 10 minutes before the interval and Everton looked by far the more likely side to find a winner in the second half.

They were unable to do so, though, and Moyes admitted the loss of Arteta so early in the match was a major setback.

Sideline spell: Everton boss fears the Spanish midfielder could now be out for weeks

'It was a big blow for us because we needed some creativity and I knew that if we didn't have him, we would be struggling to create too much,' Moyes said.

'Leon Osman did, but we were struggling otherwise really to make anything happen.'

Everton dominated possession for most of the contest but Moyes felt his team did not show enough to deserve all three points.

'It was a bit frustrating,' Moyes said.

'We didn't play well enough probably to win the game, but we had a few half-chances.'

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?Explore more:People: Phil Jagielka, Tim Cahill, Leon Osman, Phil Neville, David Moyes, Sebastian Larsson Places: Birmingham

Source: Daily Mail

Source: Daily Mail