Phil Neville delighted by Steven Pienaar return

Everton captain Phil Neville has expressed his delight at the return of midfielder Steven Pienaar.

The South African playmaker re-signed for the Merseyside outfit earlier this week after leaving the club for Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window.

"We all rely so much on him and I think he thrives on that sort of pressure and responsibility," Neville told the Liverpool Echo.

"I love him as a player. You can give him the ball in any position and he takes the ball and makes others around him play.

"Without being a great talker or being demanding of people, his body language and the way he leads by example on the pitch is fantastic."

Pienaar first joined the Toffees in 2008.