James Garner has become the driving force behind Everton's midfield, and his performance in a goalless draw at Tottenham has thrust him further into the Premier League spotlight.
Despite missing a chunk of pre-season recovering from hernia surgery, Garner produced a commanding display at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, overshadowing a home midfield pairing in Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes that cost close to £200m combined. His timely interventions on both players halted several dangerous Tottenham attacks and drew praise from Match of the Day analysts.
Thomas Frank, speaking as a pundit on the show, was full of admiration for the 24-year-old's contribution. "Garner today was extremely good," Frank said. "He is aware; he's talking; he's organising. In a high-press situation, he does the recovery, and that's just so exceptional and so important when you are playing against a team who are dominating you. He was running so hard, so that's one side of his game, but also so important is his touches. He is a lot on the ball. It's through him that a lot of things are happening."
Former Everton defender Ashley Williams echoed that sentiment, describing Garner as the kind of midfielder every centre-back craves in front of them. "He's really impressive. If you're a centre-back behind him, he's the type of midfielder you want," Williams said.
Garner's journey to becoming one of Everton's most indispensable players has been gradual. Signed for an initial £9m from Manchester United in 2022, he arrived at Goodison Park without a single Premier League start for his boyhood club, having previously spent a loan spell at Nottingham Forest that helped fire them back into the top flight.
His first two seasons on Merseyside came against a turbulent backdrop, with the club navigating financial uncertainty and points deductions under managers Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche. It took time for Garner to fully establish himself, but the 2025-26 campaign has marked a clear turning point in his development.
The midfielder has been ever-present, playing all but six minutes of Everton's Premier League season so far as the club mounted a serious push for European qualification. Among the highlights was a trip to Nottingham Forest in December, where an injury-hit Everton side secured a 2-0 win to close within four points of the top four. Garner opened the scoring that day in what was widely regarded as one of his most complete performances of the season.
Manager David Moyes has been a vocal supporter of Garner's transformation, pointing to a shift in both his game and his personality. "When I came in, I still saw a bit of a boy and I think I now see someone who's turning into a really good leader as well, beginning to take a bit more responsibility and grow up and begin to start to act like a real midfield player," Moyes said.
Statistically, Garner has been Everton's standout performer across a range of categories this season, leading the squad in successful passes, tackles and interceptions while also topping the charts for assists and chances created. His importance grew even further following an injury to winger Jack Grealish in January, with four of his seven assists this season coming after Grealish's campaign was cut short.
Reflecting on Garner's rise, Moyes did not hide his surprise at just how influential the midfielder has become. "He's been fantastic since I came in," Moyes said. "I didn't realise probably how good he was. He's been so good."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.