Everton star James Garner now makes an interesting claim about points deduction

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The staff, players, and fans, have all united at Everton to express their displeasure with November’s ten-point deduction.

It has been universally condemned, with most sections of the media also jumping to their defence despite most having no prior affiliation with the club.

Few understand just why they were handed such a severe punishment, for what has since been revealed to be a questionable trial that was perhaps unfavourable, bordering on unfair, for the Toffees.

Well, James Garner has been the latest to offer his verdict on the ruling, chatting with Sky Sports about how things have been since he traded his boyhood Manchester United for the blue half of Merseyside.

Having not predicted their presence in a relegation battle, his reaction has been immense. He would claim: ‘I never knew this was going to happen. I never knew I would be in a relegation battle, I never knew that midway through the next season we’re going to get deducted 10 points.

‘For me personally, you can only focus on what you can control. That’s staying fit and playing well at the weekend.

‘When the 10-point deduction happened, I wasn’t nervous thinking it’s going to be the same season as last season because there is a different feel around the team this year.

‘There’s a lot of positives to take and we just need to carry on with our positive performances.’

How good has James Garner been for Everton this season?

Given his youth, and the frustrating and longstanding back injury which he was forced to endure last term, it is impressive the rate at which Garner has regained his form and cemented his first-team spot.

If anything, his energy and quality in the engine room have been one of the paramount factors in Everton’s resurgence under Sean Dyche.

Alongside Amadou Onana, these two are the perfect blend of style and steel, just as capable of bruising their way past an opposition midfield as they are passing through them.

Garner’s figures in the Premier League help to emphasise that notion, with his 7.15 average rating actually making him Everton’s third-highest-rated player this campaign.

Such a number is only supported by his creative and defensive work rate, as the youngster intertwines 1.2 key passes per game within his 81% pass accuracy, alongside making 2.6 tackles and five ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.

Should he maintain such unparalleled form, Gareth Southgate will surely have to take note, as his form continues to put their ten-point deduction firmly in the back window.