James Garner must start in advanced position v Manchester City amid midfield absences
Recent absences in the Everton midfield have forced Sean Dyche to deploy James Garner in Abdoulaye Doucoure’s attacking midfield position.
The former Manchester United academy star has been utilised all over the pitch already this season, playing on either wing and most recently, deputising in the attacking midfield role against Tottenham Hotspur.
It is understood that Doucoure, who usually plays behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin in an advanced position, is continuing a spell on the sidelines and will not be fit enough to face the current Premier League champions, Manchester City. [Liverpool Echo]
Although Idrissa Gana Gueye is also expected to miss out, his position is much easier to replace with a substitute, than it is to find someone to do Doucoure’s job. Amadou Onana and Andre Gomes are both capable of holding down central midfield but attacking midfield is a lot trickier, especially against Pep Guardiola’s Man City side.
However, proving so against Tottenham on Saturday 23 December, Garner is more than comfortable in the position, even against a midfield of Pape Sarr, Oliver Skipp and Dejan Kulusevki. He was the fourth-highest-ranked player on the field, as per FotMob, and the best Everton player throughout the 90 minutes.
The 22-year-old maintained a 93 per cent successful pass rate, recorded two shots on target while also hitting the woodwork once, delivered 100 per cent accurate long balls and managed a 100 per cent success rate with dribbles.
His 10 passes into the final third were vital to Everton’s tightly-fought battle against Spurs, losing narrowly with a 2-1 scoreline.
As well as going forward, Garner was important in defending. The midfielder kept a 67 per cent tackle success rate, and made four interceptions and nine recoveries, all while entering eight ground duels and winning 62 per cent of them. [FotMob]
Of course, the Man City midfield is a different animal to Spurs’, with the likes of Rodri, John Stones, Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis as possible opponents for the Everton midfield.
They are wounded, however, even with their recent FIFA World Cup trophy lifting. City are unbeaten in five games in all competitions but are sitting in fifth place in the Premier League after 17 matches.
Garner could play a vital role in beating Man City on Wednesday night, and it is a possibility with the full voice of Goodison Park backing the Toffees all the way.
In other Everton news, Kevin Thelwell has made a new transfer admission ahead of the January window hitting back at recent rumours.