Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has hailed the performance of Ross Barkley after their draw at Arsenal.

Barkley's dynamic yet composed performance in midfield earned a standing ovation from the army of travelling Blues supporters after he was substituted with a quarter of an hour remaining.

"Ross is a strong young boy and he is going to be a fantastic player," Howard told evertontv.

"With a player of his skill and also his strength you have got to throw him in at the deep end and it doesn't get much deeper than Tottenham and Arsenal away.

"There is a trust level that he is building and the more big games he plays in that will keep growing.

"We try and stay on him and we don't want him to get complacent. That's important with young players on the rise who have a big name and a lot of expectation.

"It's important to keep them grounded and he is a good boy so his feet are firmly on the floor."