Irvine praises rock Mawene

North End lie sixth in the Championship ahead of this weekend's visit of Norwich to encourage hopes of returning to the top flight for the first time since 1961.Mawene, 29, has excelled all season at centre-back and did not put a foot wrong in last weekend's goalless draw at Reading."Youl does brilliantly for us, he's a top-class professional," said Irvine."The games take their toll on him but he's so thorough in how he prepares that he always manages to perform game after game."He's a determined defender, he's well-disciplined and as been terrific for us."

Source: Team_Talk