“I’m one of those defenders that loves the art of defending. I think I’ve always been like that. You know you’re in the back four, you’re defending and you’re there to stop goals.

“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.

“On Wednesday, when we were trying to make the change (of Distin) I saw Tim Cahill drop back and I thought ‘oh no’ but we had a centre-back who plays centre-back, and no matter what Duffy’s age is, that makes a difference. He was different class.”

As the sole survivor from Moyes’s first game in charge back in March 2002, Hibbert has become a loyal servant of the Scot.

Everton have brought in a clutch of players that could conceivably challenge the Huyton-born right-back’s starting role – Lars Jacobsen, Lucas Neill and Heitinga in the last 18 months alone – yet Hibbert continues to play an integral role.

“The manager is going to buy players and bring people in to positions, the way it is now every Premier League team needs a good-sized squad,” he says. “But I love the club, I’ve been here a while now. I’m grateful the manager has kept faith in me and kept me on board, and whatever happens, I just love being part of the club.”

That squad has been decimated this season by what Hibbert regards as a “frightening” injury list.

But with the knockout stages of the Europa League not starting until late February, he hopes the cavalry will be available to bolster the cause.

“The squad now is the strongest during my time here,” says Hibbert. “This season, though, the injury problems we have had are frightening. You know you are going to get injuries during a season, but the amount we’ve had is unbelievable.

“But we’re a good group of lads, we stay together, get our heads down and keep on playing through it all.”