Everton captain Phil Jagielka has hailed Arouna Kone's "quality" after the Ivorian came off the bench to help the team come from behind to seal a 2-2 draw against Watford on Saturday.

The 31-year-old set up Ross Barkley's first equaliser before slotting home in the 86th minute to give Everton a point on the opening day of the season.

Since joining Everton from Wigan Athletic in 2013, Kone has had numerous spells on the sidelines due to a serious knee injury.

"It has been a tough period for him," the Liverpool Echo quotes Jagielka as saying. "We all know he has quality, but the injury he had was a very serious one and it has taken him a while to recover.

"Obviously the main positive is him coming out of the game. He has a nice little set up for Ross's goal and a fantastic finish for the equaliser."

Kone has made just 22 appearances and scored two goals in two years for the Merseyside outfit.

Written by
Danielle Joynson