James Garner
EVE
Center Midfielder
Box-to-Box
Mar 13, 2001 (25)
Right
6'0"
172 lb
Ranking
Grades
Key Grades
2026/2027 Premier League
Overall Grades by game
2026/2027 Premier League
Upcoming matches
News
Promising return from hernia surgery
Garner (groin) had one tackle (one won) in Saturday's 2-0 victory versus Crystal Palace.
Analysis: Garner came off the bench for the final 11 minutes of Saturday's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, registering one chance created and one tackle won in his first appearance since undergoing hernia surgery. The English midfielder is regarded as an indispensable starter in manager David Moyes' midfield system when fully fit, providing the creative control and defensive intelligence that gives Everton their best midfield balance, and his brief but encouraging cameo suggests he is on track to reclaim his starting role in the coming weeks as Everton look to build on a winning start to the 2026-27 campaign.
Still working way back
Garner is out for Saturday's season opener against Crystal Palace, according to coach David Moyes. "Garner is returning from a hernia operation."
Analysis: Garner had been building up with on-field training in Germany after his procedure, but that recovery has not progressed quickly enough for him to be ready for the opener, which was never expected to be the case. He's still likely another week or two away from full training, which means more minutes for players like Hayden Hackney and Harrison Armstrong in the Everton midfield.
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