£15m ‘very good player’ is finally shining after Manchester United exit

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Manchester United fans were upset when James Garner was sold in 2022 to Everton.

Yet, a slow injury-hit season for the Toffees for James Garner mean there was little tangible reason for Manchester United fans to stay disappointed by his departure.

Garner shone for England’s under-21 side in the summer and at the weekend he did impress in a much-needed Everton win.

The former Manchester United midfielder fizzed a through ball into Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s path late on, the Everton number nine ending his long goal drought and sealing a valuable 3-1 win over Brentford.

Manchester United sold James Garner to Everton

“I’m really pleased for Jimmy. He works ever so hard,” Dyche beams, Garner grabbing only his second league assist in Everton colours (Royal Blue Mersey).

“When I left him out (in recent weeks) I’d told him he’s one of our future players. But they have to go in and out of the team as part of their learning. He’s got a lovely honesty about him, he’s a very good player, and he’s very adaptable, as we’ve seen.”

That ‘adaptability’ has certainly done Garner’s hopes of a more regular place in Dyche’s XI no harm.

The £15 million signing from Manchester United has started nearly as many games already this term (five) as he did throughout the entirety of 2022/23, a natural central midfielder thriving in a wider role at club level after helping England win the U21 European Championships as a makeshift right-back.

A first win of the season for Garner’s Everton

“We smelt blood and we took full advantage of it,” former Everton defender Michael Ball tells the Liverpool Echo. “Soo huge credit to the players.

The all-around game improved (against Brentford). The pressing, the passing, the extra touches in midfield. And I think that was down to playing James Garner. He made a huge difference.”

After a difficult debut season on Merseyside – 13 years at Manchester United coming to an end – Dyche appears to have discovered a formula capable of coaxing far more out of Garner, and Everton as a whole.