Everton manager David Moyes confirmed that they accepted Chelsea’s offer for Bafana forward Steven Pienaar.

Speaking after Everton’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield, Moyes said the club had granted permission for Pienaar’s representatives to enter into talks with Chelsea, but had rebuffed a bid from Tottenham.

“We have accepted an offer from Chelsea. Steven has not agreed terms with Chelsea,” Moyes said. “We’ve given his representatives a chance to talk to Chelsea, but they’ve not got permission to talk to Tottenham because they’ve not offered the same money.”

The likely departure of Pienaar is a blow to Everton, but with the player out of contract at the end of the season, the Toffees had little choice but to cash in during the January window.

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Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur 4 – 1 in the Carling Cup 4th Round after Harry Redknapp taunted Arsene Wenger by saying that fans want to see trophies, not young players in action.

The Gunners required extra time to clinch victory at White Hart Lane, and they were grateful for two unnecessary tugs of the shirt as Samir Nasri converted twice from the penalty spot in the 92nd and 96th minute.

Wenger opted for a far stronger side than Arsenal fans have become accustomed to in recent Carling Cup campaigns, naming Nasri, Tomas Rosicky, Laurent Koscielny and Denilson all in the starting XI. However, it was 19-year-old Henri Lansbury who broke the deadlock, poking home his first Arsenal goal after a fine cross from Jack Wilshere.

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Everton manager David Moyes and his assistant Steve Round have been charged with improper conduct after their 3 – 3 draw with Manchester United at Goodison Park over the weekend.

Moyes and Round confronted referee Martin Atkinson at the end of the game after he had blown the final whistle while Everton broke away on the counter-attack. Everton had scored twice in injury time to rescue the point.

After the game, Moyes said: “The two goals were scored after 90 minutes and they’d put up three minutes of extra time. He didn’t get his time right because there was more time to add on for the goals and he played three minutes 30 seconds.

“They had the corner kick and we had a great counter-attack and he blew up with the ball 25 yards from their goal. It is a spectator sport with people coming to watch the game and not for him to be the main man and the one who wants to be seen making the decisions.

“That was a terrible decision in my book.”

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Apart from Tottenham and Chelsea, Liverpool have also joined the hunt for Everton star player Steven Pienaar.

The Bafana Bafana star has stood out in the English Premier League this season and consequently his future has been intensely scrutinised by the British media in recent weeks.

The Daily Mail is the latest publication to chip in with fresh speculation, claiming the Reds are preparing to enter the bidding war for the Westbury-born attacker.

Pienaar, who has a year left on his existing contract with the Toffees, has previously stated he will only decide on his career after the World Cup although his agent, Ivan Mudia, recently suggested otherwise.

Mudia said: “I think Steven would like to know what he is doing next season before the Soccer World Cup.”

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Chelsea’s lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to one point on Wednesday when they lost 2-1 at Everton with Louis Saha continuing his scoring jinx over them.

Second-placed Manchester United drew 1-1 at Aston Villa while Arsenal stayed in the hunt after beating Liverpool 1-0.

Saha, who scored against Chelsea in the FA Cup final last season and in the 3-3 draw against them in December, cancelled out Florent Malouda’s 17th minute opener for Chelsea with a header in the 33rd.

He then had a penalty saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech on the stroke of halftime before scoring the winner after 75 minutes when he chested the ball down, turned and fired home.

That sent Chelsea to their first defeat in 11 matches and gave Everton manager David Moyes his first victory over the London side on the night he celebrated his 300th Premier League game.

Chelsea remain top with 58 points, but are just one point ahead of Manchester United, who drew at Villa despite playing for more than an hour with 10 men after Nani was sent off for a ragged two-footed challenge on Stilian Petrov.

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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes that the derby win over Everton over the weekend was just the right medicine to kick start their stuttering season.

The Reds won local bragging rights at Anfield on Saturday as Dirk Kuyt’s close-range header 10 minutes after half-time proved the difference.

Gerrard was happy with all three points and the team’s display, especially as Liverpool had to play most of the match with 10 men after the sending-off of Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

And with confidence high, the Liverpool skipper hopes his team can keep up the momentum and finish the campaign well.

“You always enjoy beating your local rivals but it was the way we did it that was really satisfying, particularly after losing a man after half an hour,” Gerrard said. “I thought we showed fantastic character, a great attitude and I also thought we played some decent stuff at times. I thought it was a fully deserved win.

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Tottenham and England star striker Jermain Defoe missed a penalty in stoppage time as his side threw away a 2 point lead to draw against Everton 2 – 2.

Defoe had put Spurs ahead two minutes into the second half and Michael Dawson doubled their advantage with more than half an hour remaining at Goodison Park.

But substitute striker Louis Saha began Everton’s comeback with a 78th-minute goal and Australian midfielder Tim Cahill grabbed the equalizer on his 30th birthday to end the club’s three-match losing streak in the league.

“We’ve had a bit of bad luck so it was nice to get that draw,” Cahill said.

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