Horror for Vaughan

The 18-year-old, who scored Everton's disputed equaliser, appeared to catch Abdoulaye Meite's boot in an accidental clash in Bolton's penalty area and horrified team-mate Andy Johnson frantically called for the medics as the wound in his left leg began to gush blood.

Scroll down to read more:

Vaughan received emergency treatment in the dressing room and although he insisted he wanted to resume playing, he was taken to hospital in Bolton. Once it was confirmed there was no bone or ligament damage, he was sent home.

The striker has spent most of his time on the sidelines since taking over from Wayne Rooney as Everton's youngest goalscorer — and the youngest in the Premiership — when he found the net against Crystal Palace as a 16-year-old two years ago today. He suffered a knee injury in August 2005 which kept him out for 15 months.

However, Everton manager David Moyes is hopeful the youngster's latest injury is not as bad as it looked. He said: "I don't know what it entails or how many stitches he's had. We're just delighted it's not a break. Knowing him, he'll want to play next week, he's a tough lad."

Bolton could have made Arsenal pay with their Champions League berth for being held at Newcastle.

Now they face Arsene Wenger's side at the Emirates on Saturday with their goal difference, potentially crucial in the final weeks, showing a big fat zero.

Kevin Davies' seventh goal of an injury-hit season gave Bolton hope of a third successive Premiership win and was taken with aplomb as he chested down Ivan Campo's free-kick and swivelled to fire past Tim Howard.

He did have help from Joleon Lescott, who failed to step up with the rest of the Everton defence and so left three Bolton players onside and unmarked in front of the goalkeeper.

Lescott did not have the best of games. He put Howard in trouble with a sloppy early backpass, then exchanged words with skipper Phil Neville as Everton regrouped after that 18th-minute blow.

Vaughan hauled Moyes' men back into the match after 32 minutes, steering his shot beneath the advancing Jussi Jaaskelainen after Leon Osman's perfect threaded pass.

Bolton complained that Gary Speed had been elbowed in the head by Lee Carsley. Manager Sam Allardyce said: "Speedo doesn't go down lightly. The ref said he'd seen it but still gave the goal, so we've got to moan."

That was not all referee Martin Atkinson and his officials missed before half-time. El Hadji Diouf was lucky that only the TV cameras picked up the manner of his over-the-top touchline challenge on Neville that left Everton's captain in agony and might easily have seen the Bolton striker sent off.

Moyes stopped short of saying it should have been a red card but said: "It's a bad challenge and the officials stood there looking at it. It was an incredible day."

Everton's mood was not improved when Davies, who had been the victim of a bookable tackle from behind by Mikel Arteta, accidentally caught Howard in the back with his knee.

The problems at the back continued in the second half when Alan Stubbs' backpass-cum-tackle on Nicolas Anelka was picked up by Howard to concede a dangerous free-kick but Andranik Teymourian had his volley charged down.

Their defensive wobbles were apparently catching, too, as Abdoulaye Faye baulked his own goalkeeper during sustained Everton pressure, with Jaaskelainen punching weakly soon after.

Everton remain three points behind Bolton and Moyes admitted: "It will be very hard to catch them. Bolton make it difficult for you. If Bolton were to win at Arsenal it would be game on for them. I don't know about us."

Allardyce said: "The big push today was the important one. We're probably not going to win at Arsenal — the West Ham result was a one-off. But we've proved in the past we can get a result there."