NIKICA JELAVIC can become a Premier League goalscoring sensation on par with Michael Owen or Ruud Van Nistelrooy, insists Darron Gibson.

The Everton midfielder believes his Croatian team-mate is among the best strikers currently in the top flight, and will soon embark on a prolific spree like the goal-glut he delivered after they both joined the club last January.

Gibson, 25, admits Jelavic set himself standards which were always going to be hard to maintain by netting 11 times in 16 games over five months last term, but after training with some of the best centre-forwards during his time at Old Trafford he insists the former Rangers man can become equally renowned.

Everton will need Jelavic at his best over their busy festive schedule – particularly with top scorer Marouane Fellaini suspended for three games – and Gibson is confident he can recapture top form and deliver the goals to keep them in the mix for a top four finish.

He said: “He’s a bit like Michael Owen or Van Nistelrooy in the box. He’s first class and I don’t think there’s many better than him in the Premier League at the moment.

“The vein of form he had when he first came was special, and from a football point of view I think we knew he couldn’t keep it up constantly.

“Every striker goes through a lean spell but it hasn’t taken him too long to score again. He’s definitely up there with the best goal scorers I’ve played with to be honest. His finishing is unbelievable.”

Gibson said he is constantly looking to make the most of Jelavic’s canny movement by delivering him the ammunition from midfield.

“Because we signed at the same time we clicked a bit and became quite close,” he said. “He makes some great runs and he makes the passes easier for me.

“He makes my decision for me by his movement. He’s a great player and luckily he’s scoring again which is important for us.”

Jelavic’s dramatic late winner against Tottenham on December 9 was his sixth goal of the campaign, and his fulsome celebrations proved a hit with fans as he high-fived every member of the Blues bench after being replaced near the end.

“It just sums up how we are as a squad,” added Gibson. “We’re really close and everyone likes each other so it’s good for the fans to see that. Every team will say they’re tight knit but that clip of Niki coming off and high-fiving everyone really shows something genuine. We’re actually close like a family and it shows on the pitch.”