Everton manager David Moyes hailed Ayegbeni Yakubu`s return to form after the Nigerian ended a run of nine matches without a goal to earn a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough.

Yakubu claimed Everton`s second-half equaliser at Goodison Park on Sunday when he deflected in Mikel Arteta`s free-kick.

It was the powerful striker`s first goal since September and extended Everton`s unbeaten run to five matches - much to the relief of Moyes, who expects Yakubu to go on a scoring run now.

`I was pleased for Yakubu to have scored. He had a couple of other chances beforehand so he will be pleased with his effort too,` Moyes said.

`He did a lot better in this one, overall it was a better performance from him.

`Strikers will take any goal that comes along. It may come off his backside, or in this case his back, but they all count and they all give you confidence.`

Middlesbrough had led through an early Gary O`Neil strike and laboured for long periods before Yakubu`s equaliser. Even then they couldn`t go on to take all three points and have won just once in eight matches at Goodison this season.

Moyes still took heart from the amount of chances his team had created.

`We missed a lot of opportunities and have played better,` he said. `When they went ahead with a goal on the counter-attack there was always the chance that they could do that again, so we needed to be careful.

`But give us credit, we kept going forward although we found it very difficult to score.

`We have kept the unbeaten run going, but it`s another home game we were aiming for three points which would have pushed us up nearer the top group.

`I am disappointed that we did not do that and win the game. Our home form is not worrying me, I believe by the end of the season we will have picked up what we need at home.`

Middlesbrough have not lost since they were thrashed 5-0 at home by Chelsea and, like Everton, are now unbeaten in five matches.

`We showed some different characteristic in this one, we had to roll our sleeves up and defend the box,` `Boro boss Gareth Southgate said.

`We defended a lot of stuff in the air and we stood up to the physical challenge because Everton are a big, strong side.

`We showed we are capable of digging in and getting something from the game.

`The Chelsea defeat was a great lesson for us, and we saw what the very best are capable of doing and the standards that we have to aspire to.

`But we have taken eight points from our last four away games and we are unbeaten in five since losing to Chelsea. That is as good a run as anyone else in the division.

`That tells you something about the league. We are showing our resilience and we are responding to every challenge that has been set.

`We are young and we are learning. We know that at a place like Everton you have to stand up and fight for what you get.`