He sums up Everton's collective spirit and is now the club's top scorer this season.

"We are such a committed squad and we go out and give all our effort on the pitch and leave it on there," he said.

"Maybe that is why we have more injuries than others, but credit to the manager and the players for the effort we put in.

"As for me and the different roles I have had this season, I suppose I am a defensive, attacking, striking midfielder now."

But he added: "It does not really matter where I play--I am just happy that we are getting the goals and we are playing well.

"We were pretty down last week because of Mikel's injury but we have picked ourselves up and got the result we wanted."

Everton are now firmly ensconced in sixth place, eight points ahead of seventh-placed West Ham, but with their ambitions set much higher.

Their 2-0 home win over West Brom on Saturday stretched an impressive league record to just one defeat in the last 11, while they have lost just three of their last 23 games in all competitions.

Now midfielder Leon Osman has warned the big clubs above Everton in the table that they should be anxiously looking over their shoulders.

They will head into Sunday's home FA Cup quarter-final with Middlesbrough full of confidence, with Osman predicting that they can also overtake Arsenal now in the Barclays Premier League.

The Gunners are only two points ahead of Everton, and Osman says: "We are on a really good run, and we have now opened up a pretty decent gap between us and the teams below us.

"Now we are chasing the people above us, we feel we can chase down someone else.

"We always look up rather than over our shoulders and if we can get up another place we will be delighted. We believe we can do just that."

Everton, who travel to Blackburn on Wednesday, have maintained their form despite a constant catalogue of injuries, the latest being the loss of Mikel Arteta out for the season.

Osman says: "It is tough because we have now lost Mikel. But we are not a one-man team.

"Disappointment seems to bring this club together. We have had a succession of serious injury blows, players have had to perform out of position but we seem to overcome all the problems and keep the bandwagon rolling.

"That is the way our squad works. Every disappointment we have suffered so far has brought us together, and that will happen now Mikel is out.

"We are right behind Arsenal now and we feel we can catch them, and even Aston Villa. We have played most of the top clubs away from home now, so we are looking to pick up points from teams below us."

Everton's chances of qualifying for Europe again next season were helped by Manchester United's triumph in the Carling Cup.

If the Old Trafford men, as now seems certain, qualify for the Champions League again, one more place in the new Europa League will return to the Premier League, making Everton's current sixth spot an automatic European qualification.

If two sides already qualified for Europe reach the FA Cup Final, then seventh place in the top flight will also ensure a place in the Europa League, the rebranded UEFA Cup.