Arteta's season ended by injury

Arteta is Everton's joint top-scorer this season with seven goals

Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured knee ligament.

The 26-year-old fell awkwardly just three minutes into Everton's 0-0 draw away to Newcastle on Sunday.

He was stretchered off after receiving treatment and underwent scans on his right knee on Sunday night to ascertain the full extent of the injury.

Arteta has been a key figure for Everton this season, making 31 appearances and scoring seven goals.

The Spaniard's spell out will be a huge blow to the Toffees as they continue to chase a European spot and hope to further their run in the FA Cup.

A draw's not a bad result but we're disappointed not to take all three and bitterly disappointed because of the injury to Mikel Everton manager David Moyes

He scored in Everton's previous two games before the goalless draw with Newcastle and his absence was keenly felt once he left the field at St James' Park.

"The early look at him wasn't good, but I'd rather wait to see," said Everton manager David Moyes, who is also worried over Victor Anichebe's fitness.

"We played for nearly an hour against 10 men and created hardly and chances," said Moyes.

"A draw's not a bad result, but I think in the circumstances we're disappointed not to take all three and bitterly disappointed because of the injury to Mikel."

Anichebe was replaced shortly before half-time after a heavy tackle from Kevin Nolan, which saw the Newcastle midfielder receive a straight red card.

606: DEBATE I would have took anyone else getting injured... just not Arteta VicazOfGoodison

"We certainly have a sore boy in Anichebe," Moyes added. "It was a sending off, there's no doubt about that. I don't think Kevin Nolan is that type of player but it was a bad tackle and it was definitely a sending off.

Newcastle caretaker manager Chris Hughton was pleased with his side's efforts in limiting Everton to so few chances and spoke of Nolan's regret at the tackle for which he saw red.

"For us I think to go down to 10 men at the time that we did, to come through the 90 minutes with Everton having limited good opportunities at our goal is testament to our lads," he said.

"Kevin has apologised to David [Moyes] and to the lad in their team [Anichebe].

"He's an honest professional. We accept it wasn't the best of challenges but my first impression was that it was poorly timed, not malicious."