Yobo closes in on Everton record

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If Yobo completes the full 90 minutes of the Toffees' final Barclays Premiership game of the season at Chelsea on Sunday, he will match Kevin Ratcliffe's record of playing in every second of a league campaign.

Ever-present: Joseph Yobo could go the whole season without missing a second of league campaign for the Toffeemen

The last time it was done, then captain Ratcliffe took Everton to the title in 1987.

Twenty years on, another Everton defender is on the brink of achieving an ever-present record in a league campaign.

And boss David Moyes believes Yobo's consistency in the side this term justifies the club's faith in a player who became the current manager's first signing in the summer of 2002.

Moyes explained: "Joseph has been outstanding for us this season.

"He has been very consistent and has given us a really good standard of performance at the back. We have been really pleased with him.

"He is maturing all the time, although maybe it took a while for him to get used to the pace of English football.

"He came to England when he was a young boy and it is difficult at first for central defenders."

Yobo signed a new long-term contract at the beginning of this season to ward off the advances of other clubs.

And Moyes continued: "We are seeing the best of him.

"We have had a lot of consistent performers this season and he has certainly been among the best.

"He is now making the right decisions in games, his reading of the play is a lot better and we hope he can play as well, if not better, for many years yet."

Everton will secure fifth place if they can win at Chelsea on Sunday, a tall order but one Moyes believes is possible.

Everton have not won on the last day of the season since Joe Parkinson's goal secured a 1-0 win over Aston Villa in 1996 - and Moyes would love to see end that unwanted record at Stamford Bridge.

Moyes said: "We will go about our business in the way that we always do.

"It's the last game of the season and we hope to finish as high up the table as we can. We want to finish fifth and we will try to do that."