Everton 2025-26 Player Grades: The Defence | OneFootball

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With the season over, we’ll soon be looking full steam ahead to the summer. But, we felt it was worth having a go at rating Everton’s squad from the 2025-26 campaign.

The grades are as follows:

We’ll start with the defence, which includes the goalkeepers.

JORDAN PICKFORD — A

Overall, it was probably not Pickford’s best season, but I do think it had his best highlight reel. Stunning saves against Manchester United, Newcastle United and Chelsea, to name a few, helped Everton pick up vital points. He was not perfect, and certainly made some mistakes, while his vulnerability from set-pieces was exposed, but he finished the season having prevented 3.6 goals, according to Opta Analyst — only three other shot-stoppers in the Premier League (Senne Lammens — 6.5, Gianluigi Donnarumma — 5.7 and Bart Verbruggen — 5.5) recorded a better figure.

MARK TRAVERS — C

Signed for £4million as a back-up last summer, Travers filled that role. He did not make a league appearance and played only twice, with both of those appearances coming in the EFL Cup. He wasn’t particularly great in the loss to Wolves in September, but it’s would be a bit much to give him a D.

TOM KING — C

He hasn’t played at all, but that’s clearly not the point for an experienced pro as a third-choice goalkeeper. By all accounts, a positive personality in the dressing room and highly regarded by his fellow shot-stoppers.

NATHAN PATTERSON — C

Patterson only made eight appearances, and only four of them were starts, but he did nothing wrong and should have been given more time towards the end of the season. He wanted to go in January, and why was David Moyes allowed to keep him, just to then not to play him at all, when Everton desperately needed a change at the back. He was never the right signing for what was required back in 2022, and injuries and poor runs of form have not helped him, but Patterson deserved to be given a go. He has to be moved on this summer, for everyone’s sake.

SEAMUS COLEMAN — C

The iconic defender’s Everton playing career is over, but he will always have a place in our hearts. However, he made just four league appearances, with three coming as a substitute and the other seeing him start at Old Trafford but swiftly go off injured. A club great, whose impact was no doubt felt more at Finch Farm than on the pitch.

JAKE O’BRIEN — C

It’s tough to fully judge O’Brien, given he has consistently been shunted out to right-back. When he did play centrally, in his actual position, he played well, and helped Everton to victories over Crystal Palace (moving there midway through the second half), Bournemouth and Aston Villa. He should have been played back in the middle instead of Michael Keane in the run-in. However, all that being said, he still turned in some stinkers, and playing out of position isn’t enough to excuse some of those displays. Next season, he must be given a chance as a centre-back, and he has some clear improvements to make.

JAMES TARKOWSKI — C

Many fans might say Tarkowski was the worst of Everton’s centre-backs in 2025-26, and there’s no doubt that the 33-year-old’s levels dipped. But, I think it’s worth pointing out that when he didn’t play next to Keane, he was much more like his old self. Now, Tarkowski is in no way blameless. Everton need to be moving on from him next term, and even if he is likely to now be the club captain, he should spend the majority of 2026-27 as a back-up.

MICHAEL KEANE — C

Individually, Keane did okay. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t as bad as he has been in the past, either. But when he is in the defence, by and large the team leak chances. That is especially the case when he and Tarkowski play together, with the two of them simply not suited at all to playing alongside the other. Keane, of course, is always a threat in the opposition box, and he scored some important goals. However, the fact is he featured 35 times this season and was a key part of a defence that gave up the sixth-most xGA in the league.

JARRAD BRANTHWAITE — C

When Branthwaite played, he was, in the main, good, and in the away win over Newcastle United at the end of February, he was excellent. Yet his season was a write-off, as he featured just 10 times. The injury he sustained in the Merseyside derby was probably one of the crucial blows suffered in the run-in, and Everton, and Branthwaite, must put all their focus into ensuring he can stay fit for the vast majority of next term. A proper, full pre-season is vital, too, because there is no doubting how much better a team the Toffees are when he plays.

VITALIY MYKOLENKO — C

There’s a trend here, isn't there. Everton’s defence was simply very average across the season, and Mykolenko doesn’t buck the trend, either. In truth, he probably fell below his levels in some ways, and was caught out plenty of times from crosses to the back post that he should have done better from. He’s still a good one-v-one defender and you can never doubt his effort, but Everton need better.

ADAM AZNOU — D

Not one single minute of Premier League action, with his sole appearance coming as a cameo in the FA Cup, in which he was actually excellent. So, this rating cannot be held against Aznou, but there’s not really any way I can justify to give him higher, as he has not been given a chance.

Moyes’s handling of this has been woeful. Aznou should have spent the first 6 months of the season at Everton, been given minutes in the U21s, and then immediately loaned out in January to play at a senior level. Why did the club not have that move lined-up? He is only young and physically not ready to be a left-back in a Moyes team, especially in this era of the Premier League, but he could have been given a go. There were chances to play him when chasing games, whether at left-back or on the wing, which is where he played so well against Sunderland. Everton should take Aznou out of Moyes’s hands next season, and get him a proper loan to further his development.

Jim Bennings 1 Posted 30/05/2026 at 12:26:40

Shite, ponderous slow past their best days players that are only going to be slower again next season.

Keane was half decent but is not the future.

Tarkowski looks done at this level as a regular now.

Mykolenko too slow, nowhere near good enough for the demands needed to be a regular fullback going up and down the pitch.

The less said the better about the right backs.

Branthwaite you can't even give him a rating again as we didn't see enough of him.

Jay Harris 3 Posted 31/05/2026 at 02:57:52

Pickford getting an A is a bit too much seems a bit too much when he is to blame for the style of play in wanting to kick long Hollywood passes all the time and mostly giving the opposition the ball.

He is also mainly responsible for our poor showing at defending corners as he does not dominate his area at all.

He does make some great reactions saves but deserved no more than a B for me.

As for the back 4 the only reason we kept the goals against respectable is because we sit so deep. I would like us to have a whole new back 4 for next season. Jarrad is he is over his injuries will be up to standard but the others are fading fast.

Jim Bennings 4 Posted 31/05/2026 at 07:07:10

Pickfords form did drop off towards the end of the season can't really argue with that.

Nothing has changed in that he's never liked corners or set piece's, he's always appeared vulnerability on them.

Having said that he still makes some of the most remarkable saves I've ever seen.

Rob Dolby 5 Posted 31/05/2026 at 08:59:50

Far too negative with those scores.

Stu Darlington 6 Posted 31/05/2026 at 09:22:35

Jim @1, Can't argue with your summary.

If we don't get major replacements in this area, there's nothing down for us next season!

John Collins 7 Posted 31/05/2026 at 09:55:24

What grade did the manager get?

Raymond Fox 8 Posted 31/05/2026 at 10:55:39

Better to have rated by numbers.

Pickford 9 - tall hefty keepers will be better for crosses but wont be as agile as him in open play. Patterson 2 -hardly played hence a 2 but I think he's had a rough deal. O'Brien 6 -playing out of position he's done as well as could be expected.. Coleman 1 -played even less than Patterson. Tarkowsi 6 -faded towards end of season Keane 6 -same as above Mykolenko 5 -ok season but has limitations. Aznou 1 -almost no time on the field.

I've rated them on their contributions over the season not ratings as players for the future.

10 Posted 31/05/2026 at 12:34:54

It is all opinions, my opinions are: Pickford - great shot stopper but I get nervous on set pieces and collection of crosses. Borderline A / B.

Other keepers - cannot grade as not enough minutes played.

O’Brien - he is being played out of position and did a reasonable job at the start. Towards the end of the season he was pretty caked on and should have been moved central. Score of C is reasonable.

Myko - I feel for the guy, decent defender but so poor going forward. Lost count of the times attacks broke down on that side. Borderline C / D.

Other fullbacks did not play enough to be graded. Clearly need to prioritise both positions in the summer. Would have liked to have seen more of Patterson and Aznou, but I am not in training.

Tarks - not a great end to the season and some daft decisions where he has been lucky to stop on the pitch. Score of C reasonable.

Keane - he had a great start to the season covering for injuries. At that stage a rock solid B but had a poorer end and therefore borderline B / C.

Branthwaite - injury plagued season and our form dipped after his latest injury. Hoping he comes back strong, in an ideal world with a new CB partner (O’Brien). Not grading as insufficient time.