Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has praised his team-mates' resolve during the current injury crisis affecting the club's strikers.
The Blues have taken four points from the last six on offer, with midfielder Tim Cahill deployed as a lone striker.
Howard, 29, told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It's (about) seeing things out when there's tough spells in the game.
"Not shrinking when the going gets tough and we've been doing that lately and we've gotten our rewards."
In the last ten days, Everton have won 1-0 at Manchester City, courtesy of a late Tim Cahill strike, and held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw at home.
American international Howard believes the point will stand the Blues, who are still missing strikers Louis Saha, Yakubu, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe through injury, in good stead as they head into the hectic period of Christmas fixtures.
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"It's the start of a big week. Unfortunately it came against Chelsea but we did get the point."
After a slow start to the Premier League season, which saw Everton take just eight points from the first 24 on offer, Howard believes his side are beginning to click.
"It was hard to lift ourselves after that bad beginning but we've started to come into our own and look like the Everton of old.
"We can obviously do better, we've taken a lot of injuries in the last couple of weeks but at the moment we are excited about where we are going.
"We're not there yet but we're getting there," Howard added.
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