Jack Grealish is doing something no Everton player on record has previously done
Jack Grealish has been a refreshing breath of air for Everton this season.
Grealish was named Player of the Month for August after registering four assists for the Blues in his first three Premier League games.
Even though the wins have dried up in recent weeks, the Manchester City loanee has still shone brightly for the Blues.
Everton prepare to face Crystal Palace on Sunday, and their chances will hinge on Grealish if they are to continue their unbeaten run at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Jack Grealish breaks Everton’s creative metric record
Grealish has created the most chances in the Premier League this year with 17, and he has drawn the most fouls in the league with 22.
The ex-Villa captain has played in every game for Everton since arriving and is already a fan favourite.
David Moyes has built a team around Grealish and given him the licence to roam free and make the Toffees a creative force in attack.
On top of creating the most chances in the Premier League this season, the 30-year-old has also hit a first at Everton.
Since Opta records began in 2003-04, among the players to play over 400 minutes in a season, Grealish has created the most chances per minute, 3.3, and drawn the most fouls per minute, 4.3.
And as pointed out by Sofascore, Grealish is averaging 2.88 key passes per game in all competitions this season.
In the 2024-25 season, the midfielder only registered 20 games in the Premier League for Manchester City, and in that time recorded a single goal and a solitary assist.
City have included an option to buy Grealish once his loan move expires, but he has been paired with a price tag of £50million.
Everton should experiment with Jack Grealish in the number 10 role
Everton enter this Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace without Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, with the midfielder already picking up five yellow cards, leading to a one-match suspension.
In consequence, Moyes is forced into rotating his ideal starting XI against a Palace side that are on a 19-match unbeaten run.
As Dewsbury-Hall drops out of the eleven, the manager is left with a selection headache and several variations of a starting lineup.
| Long-ball passes | 25 |
| Goal-creating actions | 6 |
Grealish has primarily been used on the left this season, and while this has been successful for Moyes, he has an opportunity to shake this up against the Eagles.
By handing Tyler Dibling his first Premier League start for the Toffees, both he and Ndiaye can play on the wings, while Grealish can shift into a number 10 role.
Although Everton will not be able to replicate the defensive output of Dewsbury-Hall, having their most creative player in the middle is bound to make them more of a threat.
Another point to note is that the 30-year-old will be able to win more fouls in the number 10 position, which would help greatly with one of Everton’s key strengths, which is set-pieces.
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