IT was a reaction that says so much about Everton’s progress in the past month. Marouane Fellaini, after underlining his importance to that resurgence with the opening goal in Saturday’s win against Hull, then picked up the almost inevitable yellow card to rule him out of both Merseyside derbies.

But if Phil Jagielka’s light-hearted assessment of Fellaini’s disciplinary record is anything to go by, then Everton should be able to cope just fine.

“He’s no longer getting booked every game,” said the centre-back. “It’s only every other game now – so he is learning and improving.”

Typical. See the funny side, shrug your shoulders and move on. And that is exactly how Everton have dealt with every challenge this season – and why it is now looking so promising.

Why they have managed to hit on a winning formula despite having no fit strikers.

Why, since the alarming surrender to Wigan in November, they have kept clean sheets in seven of the subsequent eight games.

And why, although they will be going to Anfield without Fellaini, they will be going without fear as well.

“We don’t cry about things we can’t do anything about,” Jagielka added. “We get on with it, just as we have in recent weeks, when all our strikers have been out.”

Saturday’s victory gave a clear indication of why a third successive top-six position is there for the taking.

Phil Brown might have complained that a failure to spot Fellaini in an offside position contributed to their downfall because the first goal was vital to the pattern of the game.

But what the Hull manager should recognise is that his side were never going to get it, and the fact that they had previously scored in every away game of their first campaign in the top flight is testament to the solidity of Everton’s defence.

No wonder Jagielka was in such buoyant mood after the game. Saturday was the sixth successive afternoon he has finished with a clean sheet in the bag – as, you suspect, he will with the club’s player of the season awards whatever happens between now and May.