Nikola Vlasic has underlined the importance of "top class" Cenk Tosun to Everton after the striker's goal turned the game in Saturday's 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town.

The Turkey international needed to be at his clinical best against a Terriers side desperate for points in the battle to beat the drop.

But after collecting a pass from fellow January signing Theo Walcott with 39 minutes on the clock, Tosun raced through to the edge of the box before guiding a fine low drive past keeper Jonas Lossl for his fifth strike in Everton colours.

With Idrissa Gana Gueye grabbing the second goal after the break, the win made it three matches unbeaten on the road for the Toffees and took their recent form to 14 points collected from the past 21 available.

Tosun's opener caught the eye of Vlasic – handed his first Everton start in three months – and the Croatian spoke about how vital the January arrival from Besiktas is to the in-form Blues.

“It was a brilliant finish after a great run from Theo,” Vlasic told evertontv. “We all know what good players they are and it was a really good goal from Cenk.

“He is a top-class player – even if you don’t notice all the time in the game, he only needs one chance to score. He is a really big player for us.”

Vlasic himself made a successful return to the starting line-up for his first action since the draw against West Brom in mid-January.

And the 20-year-old admitted it was the presence of Seamus Coleman alongside him down the Everton right flank that made his afternoon that bit easier.

“Seamus is one of the best full-backs in the Premier League,” added the Croatia international, who joined the Club from Hajduk Split in August. “It makes it so much easier when someone like that is overlapping you and you are defending together. He is a very good player.”

Indeed, the pair almost combined to extend the score at 1-0, Vlasic showing his growing confidence with a deft back heel into the path of the marauding Coleman, who was denied a goal by the sprawling Lossl.

Vlasic himself had already tested the Danish keeper with a low snapshot earlier in the half and says his confidence will grow with more opportunities.

“It was a shame the back heel didn’t bring a goal," he added. "It was a chance for us and I expect to make two or three chances like that in the game.

“But it was my first match after three months. My confidence will be much better in the next few games.”