Moyes backs Yak to lead attack

Everton boss David Moyes hopes Ayegbeni Yakubu's winner against Stoke on Saturday can spark his strikers into life.

Yakubu scored his first goal since April - and the first by an Everton forward all season - to secure a 1-0 Barclays Premier League win over the Potters at Goodison Park.

"It is great for Yak to get the goal," said Moyes, whose side are now unbeaten in five matches. "If you work hard I think the supporters appreciate you and your team-mates appreciate you."

He added: "I think Yak has certainly improved his work and he is starting to feel more confident himself.

"It would be great if we could get back the old Yakubu.

"He is certainly getting much more like it and I think you can sense the crowd feel that way.

"I thought he held the ball up well, brought people into the game.

"He had a chance in the first half and I am sure he will be disappointed he didn't do better.

"You need your strikers to do something. Top clubs have strikers who do things to win games - Rooney, Drogba, Torres.

"We needed someone to do something today and it was Yak skipping past and rifling one home."

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