James Garner must take Everton opportunity in Sean Dyche midfield with Amadou Onana injured for clash v Aston Villa
Everton fans are desperately hoping that Amadou Onana will be fit for their Premier League clash with Aston Villa this weekend, but there is someone waiting in the wings if not.
The summer transfer window had Frank Lampard bolstering the midfield with three major signings. Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye have cemented themselves as regular starters, even under Sean Dyche.
However young James Garner has struggled to make an initial impact in his first full season in the Premier League, following his £15m move from Manchester United.
Garner showed during his spell at Nottingham Forest in the Championship last season that he is more than capable of playing in a box-to-box role at a high level.
He managed four goals and eight assists to help them gain promotion, and then opted for a move to Everton instead of returning because he wants to play at a high level.
But with Alex Iwobi flying in central midfield under Lampard he never really got a chance to play regularly, and then a back injury has seen him miss the last few months of action.
Now Garner has returned to fitness and with Onana picking up an injury in the win over Leeds, they will need to find a way to replace his creativity in the middle of the pitch.
His ability to go box-to-box is replicated with the return of Abdoulaye Doucoure to form in the lineup, while Gueye continues to sit at the base of the midfield. However while there is an option for Iwobi to return to the centre of the pitch, this is also the perfect opportunity to give Garner a chance.
Physically he’s got a good physique, technically he is fantastic on the ball and he is capable of running all day long. These are things that Dyche will love.
If he doesn’t get the nod to start the game but is deemed fit enough, then it may be that he doesn’t have a long-term future at the club under this manager.
It’s easy to forget that he was a Lampard signing, and with Lampard no longer at the club he could well be not in line with the new vision of the club going forward under Dyche.
It would be a real show of faith from the manager to put him into the side, and he will be hungry to prove himself as being a Premier League calibre player. He deserves the chance, so give him it.