Everton defender Phil Jagielka admits being told he was a natural centre-back by Sheffield United legend Craig Short was not a positive.

It was meant as a compliment, encouragement from a veteran for a promising youngster, but having been switched from centre forward to midfield in his teens and likened to Patrick Vieira by Neil Warnock, this seemed like the final insult.

"Centre back had never crossed my mind," Jagielka told the Daily Mail. "I found it a little bit boring. You didn't get to run around as much or score and you'd have to jump in front of shots and make blocks. It was all a bit more painful.

"I was just gutted that a man with his experience, a great centre back himself, had told me I wasn't going to be a midfielder. We've had a laugh about it since because he was pretty much right."