Romelu Lukaku’s form delights manager Roberto Martinez

Manager Roberto Martinez was left purring in appreciation after Romelu Lukaku scored his sixth goal in five consecutive Premier League games to rescue a point for Everton against Crystal Palace on Monday.

Instead, a late header from Scott Dann had given Palace the lead with just 15 minutes remaining, with them requiring a goal from Lukaku to secure a point. Lukaku had scored six goals in Everton’s last five matches but his link-up play this season has been equally impressive.

That quartet – plus 19-year-old Brendan Galloway, who has deputised for injured left-back Leighton Baines all season – have kept more established players out of the side.

The Belgium striker, who had earlier twice hit the woodwork, steered the ball home from a deflected Gerard Deulofeu cross in the 81st minute to give the hosts a deserved share of the points.

The Barcelona graduate has provided half a dozen assists for the Belgian since establishing a regular place in the side and Lukaku has seven goals in his last six matches.

The Crystal Palace manager is preparing his team to face the striker on Monday evening when they visit Everton in the Premier League. His 31st away point since returning to Palace in January, a tally bettered in that period only by Arsenal’s 35, was further evidence of his team’s commitment, discipline and organisation.

Late on Jordon Mutch fired wide of the mark as the visitors once again charged forward, and in the dying seconds Kone shanked an effort wide but the Eagles’ good run on Merseyside would continue. “To score 27 goals in a calendar year is quite sensational”.

“It’s a long process to get to the stage where you can play 90 minutes without losing the power and the pace in every action but now it’s very rare that you don’t see him finish the last 10 minutes with the same power, pace and control”. “When you look at the overall development in the last 12 months, it makes you realise what a special footballer we have here”.

“Sometimes you come across teams who not in the best form but Everton were at the top of their game and we had to hang on at times”.

He told evertontv: ‘The way I have been looked after by the club has been absolutely out of this world.

If not for the crossbar, Lukaku might have scored three on this night.

He said: “Certainly I thought the pull on the shirt (Barry on Jedinak) was a penalty from where I was standing”.

“It was one of those nights and, in the context of what happened tonight, a draw was a fair result, no doubt about that”.