Everton made it three Premier League wins in less than a week, defeating Brentford 1-0 at Goodison Park last night.
Idrissa Gueye's second goal in his last three games secured top-flight status for Sean Dyche's side for another season, sealing another victory following the precious scalps of Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
The Toffees currently sit 15th, 11 points clear of the drop zone – an unassailable lead, with three league meetings left during the 2023/24 campaign.
Had the club not received the eight-point deduction for breaching PSR rules, they would currently be sitting 13th, just five points off West Ham United, who currently occupy eighth place.
One player has started two of the last three victories, demonstrating his qualities, with the Toffees player needing to be a regular start under Dyche going forward.
James Garner's stats against Brentford
Partnering Gueye in the centre of midfield, James Garner produced a brilliant display, with his stellar performances going under the radar given the Senegalese's current goalscoring form.
During the victory, the former Manchester United talent made 35 passes, at a completion rate of 92% and completed all 100% of the dribbles he attempted.
Garner also provided a brilliant display without the ball, winning 50% of duels and winning one tackle – demonstrating his qualities as an excellent box-to-box midfielder.
Minutes played
90
Touches
49
Passes completed
35/38 (92%)
Duels won
3/6 (50%)
Dribbles completed
1/1 (100%)
Tackles
1
He nearly topped off his performance with a sensational goal, with his brilliantly struck free kick catching out goalkeeper Mark Flekken, but his effort rattled the crossbar – coming within touching distance of scoring his second Premier League goal of the campaign.
Dyche's side aren't short of a midfielder or two despite their current financial situation, but given his recent performances, he deserves to be a regular starter alongside Gueye for the foreseeable future.
Garner must now start every game under Dyche
Garner has been a crucial part of Dyche's side throughout this campaign, starting in 31 Premier League games so far this season.
The 23-year-old has the second-highest average match rating of any player in the Everton squad this season, as per FotMob, with the youngster also ranking second for chances created despite operating in a deeper role than Abdoulaye Doucoure, who can only produce eight less than the Englishman.
The "phenomenal" ace, as dubbed by Paul Robinson, has also averaged 1.5 interceptions per game, while also ranking in the top 17% in that regard among his peers in Europe's top five leagues, proving that he's a valuable player at both ends of the pitch for the Toffees.
His tenacious and relentless playstyle makes him the perfect box-to-box midfielder, with the youngster able to break up the play and quickly transition into a potential counter-attack – a real key quality under Dyche, given the high-pressure system that he's implemented at Goodison Park.
Despite the talents of fellow midfielders Andre Gomes and Amadou Onana, Garner, who joined the Toffees for just £9m nearly two years ago, has proven to be an astute addition, with the 23-year-old having the potential to be a crucial part of Everton's revival and potentially making the club a huge profit a few years down the line.
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