David Moyes’s 47th birthday was ultimately one of great celebration. His side looked to be heading for a draw which, coupled with Aston Villa and Liverpool’s victories, would have meant the end of their hopes of qualifying for the Europa League, but they instead secured three points thanks to Mikel Arteta’s stoppage-time penalty

A draw would have been a particular set-back for Everton given that they came up against a Fulham side that contained nine changes from that which drew with Hamburg in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday.

Roy Hodgson’s decision to make sweeping changes to his side may irritate those who believe that such a decision denigrates the fairness of the Premier League, but it was hardly surprising given the relative meaningless of this fixture to the visitors as well as the fact that the second leg against Hamburg, which could see Fulham qualify for their first major European final, comes in four days time. Tiredness was certainly an issue, too, given Fulham had to embark on a 17-hour trek by road to get to Germany.

Everton, therefore, were presented with the perfect opportunity to secure the victory that would maintain their chances of playing in the tournament next season and began in a manner that indicated that they would comfortably take up the chance.

Their pressing was relentless and their passing crisp, and it came as little surprise when a goalscoring chance was created as early as the second minute. Tony Hibbert swung over a cross from the right-hand side that found Diniyar Bilyaletdinov at the far post. The Russian controlled the ball well and hit a quick shot which looked to be sneaking in but instead clipped the post and went wide.

More chances came for the hosts but remarkably it was Fulham who eventually took the lead. They were, though, aided greatly by Everton and in particular Leyton Baines. The full-back played a poorly weighted back pass to his goalkeeper Tim Howard on 36 minutes which Erik Nevland was able to intercept and chip over the out-rushing American.

Clint Dempsey should have made it 2-0 just before half-time but instead lashed his close-range shot over the bar, and Fulham were ultimately made to pay for that wastefulness five minutes after the interval when the Everton substitute Victor Anichebe headed in Arteta’s cross from close range.

Both sides had chances to win the game, with the clearest falling to Fulham’s on-loan striker Stefano Okaka 13 minutes before the end. It looked, though, that there would be no further breakthrough. That was, however, until Chris Baird, one of two plays to survive from the midweek draw with Hamburg, brought down Tim Cahill in the area and Arteta hit the resulting spot kick low and beyond Mark Schwarzer in the Fulham goal.

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Phil Brown’s previous visit to Merseyside ended with a vote of confidence from the Hull City board following a 6-1 destruction by Liverpool. His days of being on the brink of the sack may have passed, but the threat to Hull’s Premier League status remains very much alive after this stroll for Everton.

Mikel Arteta orchestrated the return to winning ways for David Moyes’s side, who have now won six successive league games at Goodison Park – their best sequence in four years. He scored twice and forced Richard García to head into his own net. Despite a superb equaliser and first league goal for Tom Cairney, the visitors were a distant second-best throughout and only Everton’s generosity spared them from a heavier defeat than on the opposite side of Stanley Park.

Hull can at least take solace in the return of Jimmy Bullard, the man upon whom survival arguably rests, in his first start since December. As Arteta has discovered, it can be a slow journey back to form and fitness after a serious knee injury but the Spaniard, in his finest display since his return from an 11-month absence, is getting there.

Arteta gave Everton an early lead when Leon Osman released Yakubu wide on the left and, from the Nigerian’s inviting cross to the back post, the midfielder ghosted in unmarked to despatch a deceiving volley past the keeper at the near post. Yakubu then won and wasted a controversial penalty when he fell under a challenge from Kamil Zayette but stroked a lazy, arrogant penalty that Boaz Myhill saved comfortably. As well he should have.

Yakubu’s miss seemed to assume added significance when Phil Jagielka, another player starting after a long-term knee problem, headed Bullard’s free-kick clear and Cairney swept an outstanding volley beyond the keeper from the edge of the area. But a fine collective move, involving Osman, Victor Anichebe and a nonchalant back-heel from Steven Pienaar, prised apart the Hull defence and enabled Arteta to roll his second into the far corner.

García headed into his own net attempting to clear Arteta’s chip over Myhill in the second half, before Landon Donovan, on his scheduled final appearance at Goodison before returning to LA