Danny Murphy blown away by what ‘under the radar’ Everton star did vs Nottingham Forest – ‘Terrific’
Everton secured a win against Nottingham Forest, with Danny Murphy blown away by what he saw on Tuesday.
The Toffees got back to winning ways as Everton won 2-0 away to Nottingham Forest to move up to eighth in the Premier League.
Thierno Barry scored against Forest to double his tally in blue and secure all three points for David Moyes’ side in the East Midlands.
It was a delight for Everton to be victorious over Sean Dyche in yet another positive result against their former head coach.
The goalscoring exploits of Barry wasn’t the key factor for Murphy as the ex-Liverpool man was left blown away by James Garner.
James Garner stunned Danny Murphy vs Nottingham Forest
Garner is soon out of contract at Everton and potentially has just months remaining on Merseyside unless he pens a new deal.
That uncertainty isn’t negatively impacting his performances, with his showcase against Forest being one of his best for the Toffees.
The Englishman was the driving force that sent Moyes and Co. towards three points with his goal and assist making all the difference at the City Ground.
That wasn’t lost on Murphy, who picked out Garner for special praise on Match of the Day as he was left blown away by his individual performance.
He said: “He [Garner] goes under the radar a little bit with Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Ndiaye, they tend to get the headlines when Everton have done well. He was terrific tonight, arguably his best performance of the season.
“He has filled in, in various positions, he’s playing in midfield at the moment, and he’s enjoying it. This is a brilliant finish, the first chance Everton had in the game, a very good finish. He can play quick and he knows when he’s got time on the ball to get Everton up the pitch, he’s a clever footballer.“
How did Garner perform statistically for Everton vs Forest
Garner has always been a shrewd operator for the Toffees, but against the Reds, he was arguably at his best.
The 24-year-old’s goal involvements meant Everton took away the three points, but that was just the tip of the iceberg for his performance.
He took four shots at the City Ground and also chipped in with a colossal 19 defensive contributions while also winning eight duels.
His two successful dribbles, 100 per cent long ball accuracy and two completed crosses are further evidence of a superb performance.
There will be hope that Garner can continue this level and that a new contract can be agreed to keep him on Merseyside for the long term.
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