Everton assistant boss Alan Irvine says management are delighted with the form of new German goalkeeper Stefan Wessels in the absence of No1 Tim Howard.

"I certainly don't think Stefan has been responsible for the results we have had - he has not been to blame for anything that has happened," Irvine told evertonfc.com.

"But you do miss your big players and Tim Howard is one of our big players, he is a really important part of our defence and perhaps he is able to communicate a little bit better than Stefan. But Stefan has done absolutely nothing wrong.

"But if you hear Chelsea complaining about not having Lampard and Drogba or Manchester United not being the same team without Rooney and Ronaldo so why should we not be the same when we are missing some key players?"