James Garner Has Been the Premier League’s Most Complete Midfielder This Season

24th May 2026

If you wanted to build the perfect all-action midfielder in a lab, you would probably end up with something close to James Garner this season. The Everton man has topped the Premier League tackle charts, picked up more yellow cards than anyone else, ranked in the top 10 for creativity – and done it all across 37 appearances without missing a beat.

Garner finishes the 2025/26 campaign ranked first in the division for tackles (115) and joint-first for yellow cards (12). He is second for interceptions (57), fifth for assists (7) and eighth for big chances created (12). That is an absurd spread for a single player.

Winning the Ball Back

Nobody in the Premier League has made more tackles than Garner this season. His 115 puts him seven clear of Joao Gomes at Wolves (108) and 10 ahead of Joao Palhinha at Spurs (105). That works out at just over three tackles per game across the full season – relentless.

Add in 57 interceptions – second only in the division – and you have a player who reads the game as well as he disrupts it. Garner is not just throwing himself into challenges. He is anticipating the pass and cutting it out before the danger materialises.

Creating at the Other End

Here is where it gets really interesting. Most players who top the tackle charts do not feature anywhere near the creative rankings. Garner does.

His seven assists rank him fifth in the Premier League, level with Dominik Szoboszlai at Liverpool and Lucas Digne at Aston Villa. He has also created 12 big chances (eighth in the league) and played 53 key passes, putting him 11th across the division.

For a player who spends most of his time winning the ball back in central midfield, those numbers are remarkable. He is not just recycling possession – he is starting attacks and finding the final ball.

The Yellow Card Tax

There is a cost to playing this aggressively, of course. Garner’s 12 yellow cards tie him with Andre of Wolves at the top of the disciplinary chart. Moises Caicedo at Chelsea is close behind on 11.

But context matters. Garner has played 3,324 minutes this season – the most of any player in the top 10 for yellow cards. His booking rate relative to his involvement is actually lower than several players around him. It is not recklessness. It is a consequence of being the most active ball-winner in the league.

Everton’s Engine Room

Everton have committed 393 fouls as a team this season, ranking ninth in the league. Garner himself accounts for 38 of those. But he has been far more than just a destroyer – his creative output has been essential to an Everton side that has shown real quality in patches this season.

It is rare to find a midfielder who genuinely excels at both ends of the pitch across a 37-game campaign. Garner has not just done it – he has led the league in multiple categories while doing so. That is the definition of a complete season.

All stats via Statz Premier League Rankings.