James Garner is embracing responsibility as a leader on the pitch for Everton and is enjoying a wonderful campaign.
Garner was decisive in the 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest and won the Man of the Match award. He scored the opening goal and turned provider for Thierno Barry's goal in the second half. He has five goal contributions and has played every single minute of first-team football this season, besides the final six minutes against Burnley.
Garner has not only led Everton’s midfield but has also slotted in at as a full-back seamlessly when called upon.
"We've asked him to and he's certainly taken on a more senior role. We need it because we don't have Seamus Coleman around or Ashley Young like last year,” David Moyes said, when asked about Garner.
The Birkenhead-born midfielder, meanwhile, looks forward to “making the difference” during games. He also feels that there has been a mentality shift at the club and the players go into every game believing they can get a result out of it.
"At the start of the season, we've had a lot of senior players, a lot of people, a lot of players with experience, but we're quite short on that. Our last few starting elevens, we've been quite short on them.
"Me and Tarky and a couple of others, we're trying to drive it as much as we can and I'm just trying to drive it the way that I'm playing. I feel like I've got a responsibility now to kick on and be the one to make the difference.
"There's literally no room for excuses. We all play for Everton for a reason, whether you're a frequent starter or whether you've been on the bench for the start of the season. We're all here for a reason, so the lads that came in today didn't look out of place, which is a compliment to them.
"It's massive going forward that these lads that haven't played much are getting minutes in, and I'm hoping that they can help going into the second half of the season now.
"Even the games that we've lost, we've been in them. Maybe one or two games we haven't, but there's definitely been a shift, a mentality shift, that every game we're going in thinking we can get something out of this.
"Three home games, you know how good our fans are at home, and we just need to take this form into the next three games.
"Hopefully [we'll] pick up some more points and progress into the next round."
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