Norwich City boss Paul Lambert saluted his much-maligned backline after picking up another battling Premier League point on Merseyside at Everton.

City were edging towards an elusive first league clean sheet of the season when Leon Osman diverted Royston Drenthe's powerful strike past former Toffees' keeper John Ruddy in the 81st minute. Grant Holt's seventh of the season had put Norwich in front at Goodison Park before the interval, but City's defence - with centre backs Russell Martin and Zak Whitbread outstanding - were put under intense pressure at the start and finish of the contest.

'I thought we played well in spells. It is a really tough place to come. The crowd drive them on but I thought we deserved to take a point,' said Lambert. 'We had to defend really strongly but we managed to do that. We have to hang in at certain points in certain games and we did that again today. I thought John (Ruddy) had the goal covered and it has taken a deflection. Sometimes you need a break to go for you and they got one but I thought Everton played well.'