Moyes on Everton star’s fitness and ongoing right-back search despite Rohl impressing in win over Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Everton boss David Moyes admits James Garner would not have been involved in their 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace had he had more midfield options available.

Garner missed most of Everton’s pre-season preparations due to groin surgery but was introduced late on against Palace.

“We wouldn’t have put him on the bench if we had anything else, so we’ve tried to get 15 or 20 minutes out of him today or whatever it was,” Moyes said after goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry gave his side victory.

“He’s not had any games, he’s not done the pre-season, but we needed him because we don’t have anyone else at the moment.

“I knew we might need him when the boys tired. Hayden did a little bit, Harrison has got great legs so we’re not quite so worried about him, and Kiernan a little bit as well, so we needed him.

“Is he ready? No.”

Moyes also praised Merlin Rohl after the midfielder impressed at right-back, with Everton still looking to strengthen in the position before the transfer window closes.

“He’s keen to do well and show us that he could be a right-back and because of that, we’re happy,” Moyes added.

“He can play other roles for us, further forward and in a different way. He’s got a different level of athleticism to some of the other boys in some ways and he’s a good footballer generally.

“He can score if we can get him closer to the goal but he’s also doing okay.

“Everybody is talking about a right-back, and I’m saying, well I hope it’s better than Jake O’Brien or Merlin Rohl, what they’re offering,” Moyes continued.

“Obviously we’re always trying to get better than what we’ve got in every position, to be truthful.

“But it’s not that easy to just go and get better than those two. Merlin has played really well in pre-season and deserves a chance.”

However, Moyes confirmed Everton remain keen to bring in another specialist right-back, with Rohl’s role also having a knock-on effect for his midfield options.

“We definitely would like a right-back, we would,” he said.

“For example, today with Merlin at right-back, I couldn’t play him in midfield as well, so today keeps me short of numbers in midfield and I’m having to balance a bit with what we want.”