Mikel Arteta has scored three goals since returning from serious injury

Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta says the Blues may need six wins from their last eight league games to secure a Europa League place.

Arteta scored the first goal in the 2-0 win over Bolton on Saturday, which left his side eight points from fifth place.

Arteta told BBC Radio Merseyside: "I think that we will need to win another six games.

"That's really tough with the other teams around us, but I think we're showing that desire."

Everton have turned their form around since the turn of the year, climbing the Premier League table on the back of only two defeats in 11 games.

A mixture of injuries and inconsistency has hampered the start to each of the last two campaigns, but the Spanish playmaker said David Moyes' squad has worked hard to rescue the season.

"That's what's happened over the last few years, the start to the season has been really bad and we've been really inconsistent," said Arteta.

"At home we've been terrible and then afterwards it takes a lot of effort to get up there. But at least we're there now.

"People are really excited again about the team and they're trying to get us into those [European] spots."

Next up for the Blues is Manchester City at Eastlands, and Arteta is expecting a close encounter.

"That's a hard one and they are really good at home as well," he said. "We did really well against them at Goodison and last year we did well against them as well.

"So it's going to be a good game, a tough one, but it's going to be so important."

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