Yes – David Moyes Sees Area Everton Star Could Improve In | OneFootball

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Everton boss David Moyes is delighted with Toffees star James Garner’s versatility and the amount of work he puts in, stressing he wants to see the midfielder score some goals.

Garner came through Manchester United’s youth system and was regarded as a top talent at one point.

When he was at the Manchester-based club, Garner was compared to ex-Red Devil Michael Carrick by an academy coach.

He was not given the chance to break through at Old Trafford, and three years ago, they sold him for £9m to Everton, who secured him on a five-year deal.

The former England Under-21 international has made more than 100 appearances for the Merseyside club, and he has played in a plethora of positions in his time at the Toffees.

The 24-year-old has played as a right-back and a left-back consistently, even though he is a midfielder, and it has been suggested that they are keen to use him in the engine room going forward.

Everton manager Moyes believes that Garner has shown that he can compete with the top players in the Premier League regularly.

The experienced Toffees boss is a big fan of the midfielder’s flexibility all over the pitch and he made no bones about the role Garner is playing at the club.

“I think he’s having a big role in what we’re doing; I think he’s playing really well”, Moyes told a press conference (10:18) when he was asked about Garner.

“He’s been good against a lot of the so-called ‘top players’ as well.

“He’s shown he can compete at that level, I think he is enjoying it as well.

“I think he has shown that he has no problem if I play him right-back, he has played superbly well.

Moyes was asked if he wants to see the midfielder score a bit more, and he admitted that he wants Garner to be more effective in terms of his goalscoring aspects.

“Well, it is [an area where he can improve].

“We always want our midfield players to score more goals and we are pushing to get goals from different areas.

“So yes, Jimmy could do with a couple of more goals.

“But he helps us with deliveries, he has got a few assists to his name.

“Hopefully, he can start getting some more goals.”

Moyes has never kept any secrets about how much he likes Garner as a player who he thinks should be in contention to be in England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup next year.

Experienced midfielder Idrissa Gueye is currently away with his country for the Africa Cup of Nations and the 24-year-old will need to take a lot of responsibility in the engine room in a tough festive period with a flurry of games.

Garner is on four yellow cards and he will look to avoid another booking in the next few games, as he would be suspended for a game with a further transgression.