DAVID MOYES hailed the aerial contribution of one of his smallest players, Leon Osman, as he compared the midfielder’s match-winning header against Manchester City to Toffees great Andy Gray.

The Blues boss was thrilled with the quality of Osman’s second half headed goal that sealed a terrific comeback from Everton against Champions League-chasing City at Goodison.

Moyes, who admitted his team were second best for the entire first half, said he always backs Osman to win headers against any opponent thanks to the 5ft8in star’s masterful technique and courage.

Osman was left nursing a sore head after his brave leap against City’s Vincent Kompany and Moyes said: “I always think Ossie has got a chance because he’s good in the air. He reminds me a bit of Andy Gray the way he gets across people. He jumps well and he’s brave.

“He came in and said ‘I took one for the team’, and he got a knock on the back of the head. He’s no way an out-and-out centre forward but he reminded me of one with that goal.”

Moyes was happy to accept that City’s slick passing football in the first half, sparked by the livewire Spain midfielder David Silva, forced him to call for a change of tact in the second period.

He said: “In the second half we knocked a few balls forward. In the first half we couldn’t get near them. What we did was not good enough. My job is to find a way of winning – that’s what we do.

“I actually thought it came from a couple of challenges, a couple of people running around. It needed the odd player to spur it on and we did that and gave us a foothold in the game. It gave me encouragement but there were times in the first half when they could have been out of sight. Toure could have made it 2-0.

“There’s a big difference between the talent they’re able to put out and what we can. I think for out club heart is important.

“We said to them at half-time they have to show what they can do. Man City caused me problems in the first half which were probably bigger than I’ve had in a lot of games at Goodison against a lot of good teams.”

After the game, which saw Everton consolidate seventh place in the Premier League, City boss Roberto Mancini was left to bemoan Everton’s long-ball approach in the second half, but Moyes defended his side’s approach.

He said: “What we’ve got to do is find another way of getting results. Yes we might need to kick it long but we have to win. I’d hope we can pass it and I could tell you at the start of the season our passing was great but we didn’t win any games. Mikel went in the middle in the second half and we had a bit of craft.

“I would hope that Everton under me, in the main, is about winning. That’s what I want to do with the players I have available I want to win. To get that against City who are on a good run is great.”

The Everton manager was also pleased with the contribution of second half sub Tim Cahill, who helped turn the contest in his side’s favour.

“That was his job,” said Moyes. “It’s what he has to do for us. It’s not to provide the best craft, this is where his role almost comes into debate, but what he did was needed.

“We put him on and we needed impetus. He was the one who could get us a goal. I knew Victor would be struggling the longer it went on. He has needed it because if you judge what you’ve seen in the last couple of months it hasn’t been at the top of his game.

“As long as he’s back to that I’m excited about having him rested and ready next season. He takes the knocks and it’s hard to do it 90 minutes week in week out but when he came on for 20 minutes he did it well."