Everton boss David Moyes felt Landon Donovan was the 'best player on the pitch' in the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
Toffees chief delighted with loan star
Everton boss David Moyes felt Landon Donovan was the 'best player on the pitch' in the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
The American was playing his fourth game in ten days since joining on a two-month loan from LA Galaxy.
It was Donovan's surging run and pass after 69 minutes that set up the equaliser for Victor Anichebe, cancelling out Darren Bent's 56th-minute effort.
Moyes revealed after the game that he was pleased with his side's display in general but reserved special praise for Donovan.
"We played well in the first half, we passed the ball well and made a couple of chances," the Scot told
Sky Sports.
"In the second half Aston Villa stepped it up and we just stepped off the play and I think it was perhaps a bit of fatigue probably after playing in midweek.
"It was a really good goal by Anichebe but it was created by for me the best player on the pitch in Landon Donovan.
Professionalism
"You can see Thierry Henry going to Arsenal and Robbie Keane going to Aston Villa but Landon has come in and played three or four games already, 90 minutes on the bounce, which is tough because they have had a bit of break [in the MLS] and he's come in and his professionalism has been great.
"I thought he did great today; he put the cross in which I thought could have been a penalty kick and put the pass through to Victor to score the equaliser.
"That tells you about the level of professionalism. He's come in for the second stint for us and he has done really well, he really has.
"He has given us something a little bit extra, we just need to finish off a lot of the good play he has given us."
With injuries biting into his already small squad Moyes handed first Premier League starts to young defender Shane Duffy and new signing from Manchester United Darron Gibson, who had only joined the club 24 hours earlier.
The Scot praised the duo for their displays and admitted he will try and bring in some more extra bodies during the rest of the January transfer window.
Very well
"He [Duffy] and Darron Gibson both did very well, two Irish boys in the team today," added Moyes.
"I thought they both acquitted themselves really well, Shane especially, his first game in the Premier League, he was steady in his performance and he should be really pleased with how he played.
"We're going to keep looking and see, were definitely short of centre halves, we'd like to add a centre forward if we can but it is not a good month generally to do business.
"I think we all look at it [the transfer window] and think it is a really small time to do business.
"If anybody sells it isn't players you want to buy and if they do it is really expensive so it becomes a bit stagnant and no one wants to do an awful lot."
