How Harrison Armstrong has justified Everton fan protests in Premier League-leading reveal

It's hard to believe, but only a matter of weeks ago Everton were ready to sanction Harrison Armstrong's exit.

Nottingham Forest had launched a £40million bid for the 19-year-old, to which Everton looked happy to accept.

However, enraged Evertonians protested the proposed sale with vocal protests in the match against Nottingham Forest.

Dan Friedkin and the Toffees ownership evidently heard this, and decided to withdraw from negotiations with Forest.

Since then, the midfielder has played every single minute of Everton's next three Premier League games.

And what he's been able to do in one key metric this season, no Premier League player can rival him.

Where Harrison Armstrong leads every Premier League player in 2026-27

If there's one thing that Everton supporters demand more than anything else, it's work rate and a willingness to give everything for the badge.

Those who do always find a place in Toffees hearts, as it encapsulates the spirit and identify of the football club.

Not every player recognises this, but Armstrong certainly does, having been with Everton since the age of five.

In some ways then, it's no surprise to see him lead every Premier League player for total distance covered as we reach the international break.

Per FotMob, his 60.4 kilometres covered this season is more than any other player, with Brighton's Pascal Gross second with 59.7km.

But to be doing this at just 19, and in his first season as a proper Everton first-teamer, is pretty remarkable.

So, how far ahead in this department is he of his Everton comrades, and why does it show how vital it was that he wasn't sold?

Everton's engine room would've been lost without Armstrong

There's arguably no territorial battle on the pitch more important to win than the one in midfield.

It's so often the case of whoever controls the tempo of the game and wins those midfield contests routinely emerges victorious.

As such, David Moyes will be thanking his lucky stars that Armstrong didn't head for Forest.

Per FotMob, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ranks as the closest to Armstrong for distance covered this term with 56.1km.

However, the Toffees' next best-performing midfielder in this area is James Garner, but he's down in seventh for 41.0km.

Hayden Hackney has covered 20.2km in 13th, with third, fourth and fifth going to Vitalli Mykolenko (51.6km), James Tarkowski (50.7km) and Jarrad Branthwaite (50.2km).

It's clear, then, just how much of a sliding doors moment Armstrong's Forest transfer U-turn really was for Everton.