Source: Daily_Mail
Hibbert's tall order: Everton defender ready to take on Spurs striker Crouch
Tony Hibbert is ready to help ease Everton's injury crisis by staying in central defence for Sunday's clash with Tottenham - even it means facing a striker one foot taller than him in Peter Crouch.[LNB] Hibbert was outstanding in Wednesday's 1-0 Europa League win over AEK Athens in Greece as he made a 19th European appearance to equal the club record held by Brian Labone and Colin Harvey.[LNB] Thick of the action: Everton's Tony Hibbert blocks a shot from AEK Athens' Ismael Blanco in the Europa League clash[LNB] The 5ft 7in right back has played in the centre in all three of Everton's away games in the group stages due to injuries and the fact that summer signings Johnny Heitinga and Lucas Neill are ineligible.[LNB] With Heitinga suspended for the visit of Spurs and Joseph Yobo and Sylvain Distin both struggling to be fit, Hibbert knows he might have to take on 6ft 7in Crouch despite the marked difference in height.[LNB] 'When they know they are coming up against Crouchie, any centre back is thinking the same thought about how to deal with his height,' he said.[LNB] 'But there's no trepidation when I'm asked to play at centre back. At the end of the day, it's still defending.'[LNB] After leaving Yobo out of the trip to Greece because of a hamstring injury, manager David Moyes suffered another blow when defenders Distin and Dan Gosling were carried off inside the opening 18 minutes in Athens. [LNB]But with youngsters Shane Duffy, 17, and Seamus Coleman, 21, alongside him, Hibbert led the battle to repel the Greeks in atrocious conditions as Everton kept their first clean sheet in 13 games and booked a place in the last 32.[LNB] He added: 'The injury problems we've have had this season are frightening and when the manager asks you to play in a different position you do all you can to help the team.[LNB] 'I'm one of those defenders who loves the art of defending. You know you're in the back four to stop goals.[LNB] 'That attitude has helped me when I've been asked to play centre back. I'm a defender, not a midfielder or forward, so I know how to defend.' [LNB] AEK 0 Everton 1: Bilyaletdinov fires Toffees into last 32 of Europa LeagueTHE FIRING LINE: Reprieve for Rafa Benitez but find out who's closer to the Premier League chop[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People:Sylvain Distin, Lucas Neill, JOSEPH YOBO, Peter Crouch, David MoyesPlaces:Athens, Greece
