IT has already labelled the fight of the year. Now Goodison Park is preparing to stage its own version of David and Goliath.
And Everton will be hopeful of a similar ending to when David Haye defeated the man-mountain that is Nikolai Valuev to lift the world heavyweight title last month.
Points rather than belts will be on the line when Tottenham Hotspur visit for their Premier League clash tomorrow afternoon.
But the marked difference in stature will be the same should Tony Hibbert be pressed into centre-back duty up against beanpole striker Peter Crouch.
For the third European away game in succession, the 28-year-old shifted across from right-back to central defence to impressive effect as Everton secured progress to the knockout stages of the Europa League with a 1-0 victory at AEK Athens.
And with Sylvain Distin and Joseph Yobo both doubtful for the weekend with hamstring strains, Phil Jagielka and Phil Neville long-term absentees and John Heitinga suspended, Hibbert is on standby to fill the gap once again.
Yet despite standing just 5’8 compared to the 6’7 Crouch, the defender refuses to be intimidated.
“Any centre-back, when they know they are coming up against Crouchy, they are thinking the same thought about how to deal with his height,” says Hibbert. “I don’t know the extent of the injuries we have, but I’m happy to answer the call for Everton in any position.
“Tottenham have been scoring goals for fun this season. It will be a challenge. They have got a phenomenal squad right now, teams in the Premier League are getting stronger and stronger so we know what to expect.”
Hibbert began Wednesday’s game alongside Distin, and was then joined at centre-back by 17-year-old Shane Duffy when the Frenchman was forced off after just 18 minutes.
Already tasked with cajoling young right-back Seamus Coleman through the game, it was a busy night for Hibbert.
But the defender believes all three helped in ensuring only a second win in 12 games for David Moyes’s side.
“When I played at centre-back with Sylvain, he helped me an awful lot,” says Hibbert. “I am not really familiar with the position, but when the manager asks you to play in a different position you do all you can to help the team.
“Shaun came on with Seamus already there at right-back, and both young lads were different class. The older lads helped pull them through it. We knew it would be a difficult night given the conditions and the injury problems we had, but the lads were unbelievable.”
Hibbert adds: “There’s no trepidation when I’m asked to play at centre-back. At the end of the day, it’s still defending although you do have to adjust your position. Having played on the right for so long, it’s a bit weird to get in the right positions, but even when Duffy came on he was helping me with that. But you’ve just got to get on with it.
“You do find yourself wanting to wander over to the right wing, but then you remind yourself that you’re playing centre-back and with everyone talking around you, it keeps you in shape.
