James Garner Was the Premier League’s Best Ball-Winner in 2025/26

5th June 2026

When the ball needed winning back in the Premier League this season, nobody did it more often – or more reliably – than James Garner.

The Everton midfielder topped the league for tackles in 2025/26 with 119 across 38 appearances – an average of 3.1 per game. He also finished 2nd in the entire division for interceptions (58), behind only Moises Caicedo (60). For a player at a club that spent much of the season scrapping for survival, Garner was absolutely everywhere.

The Full Top Five: Premier League Tackles in 2025/26

Here’s how the tackle chart finished across all 38 matchdays:

  1. James Garner (Everton) – 119 tackles in 38 apps (3.1 per game)
  2. Joao Palhinha (Tottenham) – 109 in 33 apps (3.3 per game)
  3. Joao Gomes (Wolves) – 108 in 35 apps (3.1 per game)
  4. Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth) – 104 in 38 apps (2.7 per game)
  5. Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) – 103 in 38 apps (2.7 per game)

Palhinha’s per-game rate was actually the best in the top five at 3.3, but he missed five games. Had he played a full season, the Spurs man might well have taken the crown outright.

Garner’s Full Defensive Profile

Tackles only tell part of the story. Garner’s wider defensive numbers were impressive across the board:

Those 12 yellows tell their own story. Garner walked a tightrope all season – he was the most-carded player in the league. But when you’re putting in 3+ tackles per game in a team fighting relegation, that comes with the territory.

The Battle-Hardened Midfield

What stands out about this season’s tackle chart is how much it reflects the teams that had to fight for everything. Garner at Everton, Gomes at Wolves, Anderson at Forest – these are players who spent most weeks without the ball. They had to win it back, and they did.

Joao Gomes deserves a mention for his broader profile too. The Wolves man finished 3rd for tackles (108), 2nd for fouls committed (69), 3rd for duels won (220) and 4th for total duels contested (435). He was in the thick of absolutely everything.

Anderson, meanwhile, topped the league for both total duels (529) and duels won (288) – the only player to lead both categories. Combined with his 103 tackles, the Forest midfielder was statistically the most combative player in the division.

The Interception Kings

The interceptions leaderboard had a slightly different flavour, led by Caicedo at Chelsea:

  1. Moises Caicedo (Chelsea) – 60 interceptions
  2. James Garner (Everton) – 58
  3. Ethan Ampadu (Leeds) – 52
  4. Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth) – 51
  5. Marc Guehi (Manchester City) – 50

Garner being in the top two for both tackles and interceptions is a rare double. Most tacklers are reactive – they dive in. Most interceptors read the game. Garner did both, all season long.

The Verdict

Everton’s season won’t live long in the memory for most. But Garner’s campaign should. First in the league for tackles, second for interceptions, joint first for yellow cards – he was the Premier League’s ultimate ball-winner. Aggressive, relentless, and occasionally reckless. Exactly what Everton needed.