ICE-MAN Nikica Jelavic has got the cool to fire Everton to an FA Cup final, says Phil Neville.

The 26-year-old Croatian striker has made a big impact for the Toffees since his £5.5m January arrival, and reminds skipper Neville of some of the Premier League’s great goal-scorers.

Neville, who is backing Jelavic to prove a handful for Liverpool’s defence in tomorrow’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, said: “He’s got ice running through his veins and nothing bothers him.

“He missed a sitter against Swansea and scored the next one. He missed one at Sunderland, then he slotted. He doesn’t throw his hands around and get upset. It’s just like he’s playing with his kids in the park.

“He isn’t bothered about interviews, he just wants to play football and go home.

“He’s got the mentality of a Van Nistelrooy or an Alan Shearer – an out and out selfish striker. He wants to score and thinks ‘It doesn’t matter if I miss 10, I’ll score the 11th’.”

Neville hailed the impact that tough-man Jelavic has in bolstering Everton’s attacking play, but also credits Denis Stracqualursi earlier in the run.

“The turning point for us was Denis,” says the defender. “He came in against Fulham in the FA Cup and he started running the channels and defending from the front.

“Then Nikica has come in, and I think what he has done is occupy the two central defenders. He’s a great physical presence. You can knock balls up there which are maybe 60/40 in favour of the defender and he will win them.”

Neville believes the Toffees form in recent weeks, when they have lost just two of their last 17 games, is partly thanks to the experience of David Moyes’ squad.

He said: “There’s good Premier League experience in our group. We went down to Swansea a couple of weeks ago and they haven’t got that experience.

“It shines through.

“It’s that core which helped us handle what we went through earlier in the season, and you just hope this is our time now.

“This group of players has been through a lot together.

“You just hope that these moments, like going to Wembley, is when that experience shines through.”