With the 2025-26 season completed, we are into our season review series with a look at the centre backs and how they did this season.
The solidity of the central defensive setup over the past three years had been the saving grace at times for a team that struggled to create goals. This year has seen that solidity fade as the season came to a close. Here is a look at the current Everton centre halves and how their season unfolded.
In the first 31 games, the highly structured defensive low block was
at its peak efficiency, conceding only 35 goals. This worked out to a measly 1.13 goals per game which ranked them 4th overall in the Premier League during that period. The Everton backline secured all 11 of their clean sheets for the season, notably culminating in a dominant 3–0 win over Chelsea in Matchweek 31.
That is contrasted with the end of season collapse after the Chelsea match. The Everton defense failed to secure a single clean sheet. In fact, the team went on a seven-game winless run, conceding 15 goals over the final stretch alone which translated into an average of 2.14 goals per game. To frustrate fans further, in every game after Chelsea, except for the final one, Everton had a lead to protect which they failed to do.
James Tarkowski
G – 37 Min – 3330 Gls – 2 Ast – 3 YC – 8
Looking at the season as a whole, Tarkowski was the ultimate ever-present anchor for Everton during the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, starting 37 matches and logging 3,330 minutes on the pitch. Operating in a deep defensive block, he protected the penalty area by registering 42 blocks, 27 successful tackles, and a massive 321 clearances, which ranked fourth highest in the entire league.
His rugged presence helped Everton secure 11 clean sheets, though the team ultimately conceded 48 goals when he was on the pitch. Tarkowski also proved highly effective in the opposing box during set-pieces, chipping in with two goals and three assists to rank among the top 15 central defenders for total goal involvements. However, his direct playing style limited his technical efficiency, resulting in an 83% passing accuracy with 1,085 completed passes. His aggressive approach to breaking up opposition counters also made him a frequent target for referees, ending the year with eight yellow cards and zero reds.
Tarkowski has been part of the spine of the team since his arrival four years ago. This year has been the first to show that father time is taking it’s toll. With Moyes leaning on his ‘trusted’ general incessantly, by the end of the season the legs were not there and the errors were hard to watch. Does he have the legs for another season, I am not sure but he is under contract with the club until June 2028 after he signed a two-year contract extension on October 8, 2025. That new contract will see him earning an estimated annual salary of £6,240,000. A big number for what would be a squad player if the current trend continues.
Grade: B- (Great start, awful ending)
Jarrad Branthwaite
G – 10 Min – 680 Gls – 1 Ast – 0 YC – 1
At the end of last year, there was so much to admire about Branthwaite. He had two seasons of Premier League football under his belt and many teams were looking to get a deal for him. His partnership with Tarkowski was one of the most successful in the league.
After managing minor muscle and groin issues throughout the 2024/25 campaign, his condition worsened dramatically ahead of this season. A severe pre-season hamstring injury required surgery in October 2025, which sidelined him for the first five months of the season. He finally returned to action in late January 2026, but his comeback lasted just 10 matches. In April, he suffered a new hamstring tear during the Merseyside derby. While this latest injury did not require surgery, it ended his season prematurely and ruled him out of the upcoming World Cup with England.
Getting the new five year contract signed last summer was huge. The contract included an exit clause worth more than £70m which becomes active this summer. With the injury concerns, the chances of someone coming for him this summer are very slim. My hope is that he gets himself back fit and with a full preseason he can take his rightful place as the number one CB for the team.
Grade: D (Disappointing injuries)
Michael Keane
G – 33 Min – 2591 Gls – 3 Ast – 1 YC – 1 RC – 1
During the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, Michael Keane stepped into an expanded role for Everton, making 33 appearances with 29 starts and accumulating 2,592 minutes on the pitch. Tasked with covering for the injured Jarrad Branthwaite, Keane operated in David Moyes’ defensive low block with a strong focus on positional anticipation, registering 250 clearances, 27 blocks, and a team-high 19 interceptions. While his defensive presence helped Everton secure seven clean sheets, he also proved to be a highly effective attacking threat during set-pieces, netting three goals and providing one assist to surpass his partner James Tarkowski in scoring.
Keane’s primary strength throughout the season was his technical efficiency and composure on the ball. He finished the year with a highly impressive 90% passing accuracy, successfully completing 924 of his 1,025 passes by opting for safer, short-range distribution out of the back. Though he was far less prone to racking up frequent cautions than Tarkowski, his discipline was marred by a major lapse in judgment when he received a straight red for pulling the hair of a Wolves player in January.
Before this season, Keane signed a one year contract but he then signed a new one-year contract extension on April 23, 2026, which guarantees he will reach a landmark 10 years of service with the club. This time last year I was ready to give up on Keane but he has had a rebound of a season after taking over for the often injured Branthwaite. For me, he is an insurance policy moving forward. With a healthy Branthwaite and more opportunities for O’Brien in the centre back role I think that he would be third in the pecking order, with Tarkowski at number four.
Grade: B (Backup pressed into starting)
Given that Jake O’Brien spent the bulk of his playing time this season in the fullback position, the Republic of Ireland will be reviewed with the left and right backs.
