James Tarkowski is a victim of Everton bias - England squad reveal proves it
James Tarkowski has clearly warranted a place in the England national team after his performances at Everton.
The centre-back has two caps to his name despite being one of the most consistent defenders in the Premier League over the last few years.
September 2018 was the last time the 33-year-old featured for the Three Lions, coming in a friendly against Switzerland.
Since then, Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel have ignored Tarkowski's displays at Everton.
The centre-back has remained a key player for the Toffees under David Moyes at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
With the defender starting another season in fine fashion, it feels like a bias towards the Merseyside outfit has affected his chances with the Three Lions.
Why James Tarkowski deserves to be part of England setup
Tarkowski has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2026-27 campaign, with the Toffees boasting the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League, conceding just three goals.
After five games, the centre-back has stood out again at Hill Dickinson Stadium and he has been doing so for a long time.
According to WhoScored, Tarkowski is the highest-rated English defender since the start of 2026.
Based on performances this year, the Toffees' captain has also been one of the best English players overall.
For context, Elliott Anderson, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham make up the midfield, while Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane and Morgan Rogers are in the attack.
Age can't be a reason Tarkowski has been snubbed over the years, with Dan Burn part of several squads since.
What David Moyes will have learned after start of new season
Moyes has seen Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite thrive as a partnership, with the latter earning a call-up to the England squad.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles has surprised many with his impact at Hill Dickinson Stadium after the Toffees spent much of the summer looking for a right-back.
Vitalii Mykolenko has put in consistent displays for the Blues so far, something that was missing last season.
The Scottish manager doesn't have a lot of game-changing quality up front, apart from Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
It's the Merseyside outfit's defence that will likely lead them to success this season, and Moyes should focus on maintaining solidity at the back to possibly achieve European qualification.