Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Everton head to the MKM Stadium today in search of three more points in the Premier League – and fans will hope the great form of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite continues.
It has felt like an eternity since Everton beat Ipswich Town at Hill Dickinson Stadium, but the Toffees finally take to the pitch again today against Hull City, who have made an impressive start to the 2026/27 season.
The Tigers sit just one place and one point below Everton, and will no doubt be motivated by the prospect of leapfrogging their opponents today.
Potentially, it could be quite a tight affair. Both sides have been strong defensively so far this season.
And for Everton, the partnership of Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski has been key.
Everton are statistically better with James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite in defence together
Everyone knows that Everton are a tough nut to crack under David Moyes, who has a reputation for organising his teams really well defensively.
It has been the same story again this term, with Everton shipping just four goals so far and keeping three clean sheets in the league.
And centre-backs Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski have been so crucial to this.
Calls were loud at the start of the season for Jake O’Brien to start in the middle alongside Branthwaite, with many feeling that pairing is the future. It may yet be.
But Tarkowski received the show of faith from his manager, who made him club captain after Seamus Coleman left, and he has produced a string of great performances so far. As has Branthwaite, who is joint-top for blocks made in Europe’s top five leagues.
Together they are great and data shows that Everton are more likely to win games when both are starting in the middle. As per BBC Sport, the win rate when they play is 32.4%. When there is another combination, it drops to 27.9%. It’s not a huge drop-off, but clearly Everton are better when Tarkowski and Branthwaite are patrolling the backline together.
Everton with Branthwaite and Tarkowski Everton without Branthwaite and Tarkowski
Games – 71 Games – 86
Win rate – 32.4% Win rate – 27.9%
Points-per-game – 1.32 Points-per-game – 1.12
Clean sheet percentage – 33.8% Clean sheet percentage – 27.9%
Shots faced per 90 – 13.5 Shots faced per 90 – 14.4
The points-per-game is also higher with Tarkowski and Branthwaite than without (1.32 vs 1.12).
There are obviously going to be games where Moyes needs to disrupt this partnership. The schedule is about to get a bit frantic heading into November and December, and we know that Everton are mindful of Branthwaite’s previous fitness issues. Tarkowski, as durable as he is, may also need rotating at points.
So O’Brien and Michael Keane must be ready to come in and show that same solidity as the first-choice pairing.
If they can do that, then that will be such a major boost, and hopefully give the platform for the attacking players to go and win games.