Defensive concerns for Everton

Hibbert has been struggling with a knee injury he sustained at the back end of last season, with the full-back still not sure whether he will need surgery, and Yobo could be missing as the Toffees' influential central defender was plagued by an ankle injury during Nigeria's recent World Cup qualifying programme.

"I have had an ankle injury for a while," confirmed Yobo. "I was supposed to rest it but we had crucial games to play and were short at the back so I just had to force myself to play."

Yobo is now on an extended break and Moyes must hope the rest allows the player's injury to recover naturally.

However, Hibbert is crossing his fingers surgery will not be required on an injury sustained at Arsenal last year which turned out to be far worse than he initially feared.

"When I did it, I felt okay," he told the Liverpool Daily Post. "We didn't realise at first how bad it was. I have had tweaks in my knees before and it didn't feel anywhere near as bad.

"But the scan was 10 times worse. I ruptured my medial ligaments. They have basically come completely off the bone at the top where the nerve endings are, which is why I wasn't getting much pain."

Meanwhile, Everton chairman Keith Wyness has backed calls for a redistribution of cash for clubs involved in European competition.

While teams competing in the Champions League net vast sums, Everton pocketed only £800,000 from their run to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup.

"If the current situation continues then clubs simply will not be able to compete and the gaps in domestic leagues across Europe will become larger and larger," Wyness told www.everton.com.