Pardew said: "He is a very accomplished player.
"At times in the first half he was caught out a little bit because he has kind of a lazy style, but you can't hide the fact that he is a winner and his thrust for us in the second half was a key element in getting a point.
"I can't speak highly enough about him. We are very lucky to have him.
"I had watched a few times when I was at West Ham and had a good understanding of what he is about. He is a very calm boy and a nice guy."