TALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

'Tiny' Tarks and his big pals handle disruption

- BY STEVE JUDGE

JAMES TARKOWSKI has probably never felt smaller on a football pitch and he can thank David Moyes for that.

The Everton boss’ decision to select four centre-halves at Brighton meant Tarkowski was the shortest player in the back four.

That despite measuring in at “6ft 3ins with my long studs in’, with Michael Keane partnering him inside of Jake O'Brien and Jarrad Branthwaite.

Tarkowski joked: “It must be the first time in history that two fullbacks have been taller than the two centre-backs!”

Moyes revealed an injury to left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko forced his hand but it is something that he has long thought about doing.

The decision had online fans reworking the Peep Show “Four naans Jeremy!” meme to “Four centre-halves David, that’s insane’.

And while the selection made Moyes look like ‘he is just a lucky Sean Dyche’ in some people's eyes, he was following a path laid by far more illustrious managers.

In fact, he wasn't even the first Everton boss to do it.