Cahill praises Everton youngsters

Cahill scored his seventh goal of the season against Aston Villa

Everton midfielder Tim Cahill has paid tribute to youngsters Jack Rodwell, Dan Gosling and Victor Anichebe after the 3-1 FA Cup win over Aston Villa.

The experienced Australian makeshift striker scored in the fifth round win, as did 17-year-old Rodwell.

"The youngsters were at the pinnacle of the way we played against Aston Villa," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"They've been a part of it for a while, but the manager is very clever in the way he picks his players."

Southport-born teenager Rodwell is a defender by trade, but has usually been employed in midfield by Blues boss David Moyes and scored his first goal in Sunday's home game.

We never get ahead of ourselves at this football club, but we understand that beating clubs such as Liverpool and Aston Villa can stand you in good stead

Everton midfielder Tim Cahill

Gosling, 19, burst on the scene at the end of 2008 with his first goal for the club against Middlesbrough.

The teenager, who made his debut for Plymouth when he was just 16, followed that up the winning strike against Liverpool in an FA Cup fourth-round replay at Goodison Park.

Twenty-year-old Nigerian-born striker Anichebe, who was raised on Merseyside, has been in and out of the first team since making his debut against Chelsea in the FA Cup in January 2006.

Cahill, who netted his seventh goal of the season against Villa, added: "They've all shown great spirit, but we've had to pull together because we've had so many injuries."

Everton have been drawn at home to either West Ham United or Middlesbrough in the sixth round of the FA Cup, but Cahill is playing down the Blues' chances: "The belief is just to work for each other and do the best that we can.

"If we take a game at a time, then that is the best way. We never get ahead of ourselves at this football club, but we understand that beating clubs such as Liverpool and Aston Villa can stand you in good stead."