Everton have had a number of players in good form this season, as they look to avoid any notion of a relegation battle under David Moyes – but one star in particular has proven time and time again that he should really be on the teamsheet before anyone else.
Everton have made a strong start to the Premier League season, racking up 15 points from 11 games in the top-flight to keep their heads comfortably above the water and remain just four points from a Champions League spot.
Whilst that may prove difficult to keep up throughout the campaign, the signs and hallmarks of a strong side are there, especially with stars such as Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye starring under David Moyes.
But the duo shouldn’t be the first names on the teamsheet, as a telling statistic has emerged on just how important James Tarkowski is to Everton’s plans.
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James Tarkowski leads the Premier League’s defensive metrics ever since his Everton move
A report by journalist Aaron Barton on X (formerly Twitter) ranks Tarkowski amongst the best in the Premier League.
Since Tarkowski joined Everton from Burnley in July 2022, the Toffees star has topped almost every metric in the Premier League, earning praise from Jarrad Branthwaite and David Moyes.
The Oldham-born colossus has made the most blocks, won the most aerial duels and completed the most clearances of any player in the division since his free transfer from Turf Moor to Goodison Park, ranking ahead of the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristian Romero.
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Meanwhile, Tarkowski has also won the second-most duels, and won 158 interceptions, which ranks him third in that time.
Further to that, he’s made the second-most starts of any player in the league in that time frame with 120 to his name.
To rank so highly in those metrics, and to start so regularly, means he must be one of the first names on the teamsheet for David Moyes, especially after battling through different defensive partners.
James Tarkowski should be in the conversation for an England call-up
Every year, there are new centre-backs come into the England setup at the expense of Tarkowski, who continues to plug away in the Premier League.
Since Tarkowski made his Three Lions debut in 2018, there have been a number of centre-backs to have made their England bows.
Lewis Dunk, Tyrone Mings, Fikayo Tomori, Conor Coady, Ben Godfrey, Ben White and Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill, Ezri Konsa and Jarrad Branthwaite made their debuts under Gareth Southgate, with Tarkowski being overlooked by the then-England gaffer.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Trevoh Chalobah, Dan Burn and Jarell Quansah have also been introduced into the side since Southgate’s departure via former Everton midfielder Lee Carsley, who had a spell as interim boss, and Thomas Tuchel.
Some of those inclusions are fair. Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill, Ezri Konsa and Jarrad Branthwaite in particular were all worthy of being introduced to the England setup, whilst Dan Burn’s solid form means his chance is well deserved.
But the rest of that cohort don’t particularly offer more than Tarkowski, at least on a defensive level, and certainly not for consistency. If Thomas Tuchel does need a reliable, injury-free centre-back he can trust on the way to North America this summer, the Everton star should be top of his list.