Phil Jagielka started alongside Michael Keane as Everton held Liverpool to a 0-0 Premier League draw at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Michael Keane produced arguably his most solid performance in an Everton shirt in the Merseyside derby stalemate with Liverpool on Saturday.
The £30 million England international has made mistake after mistake since his move from Burnley last summer – but it was no coincidence that Keane looked far more assured alongside the commanding presence of Phil Jagielka rather than Ashley ‘headless chicken’ Williams.
Everton have spent around £50 million in the last three summers on new centre-backs, without mentioning the loan signing of Eliaquim Mangala from Manchester City last summer.
But Jagielka remains the most dependable, reliable defender at The Toffees’ disposal at the age of 36, which is both a worrying indictment of the other centre-backs in Everton’s squad and a testament to Jagielka’s professionalism and consistency in spite of his ageing limbs.
Jagielka is no longer guaranteed a place in Everton’s first XI with just 18 Premier League starts to his name this season, but The Toffees are a much more watertight unit with the former Sheffield United stopper in their backline – something that Liverpool found out on Saturday.
It seems that Everton will once again be in the market for a defender this summer, with Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Wilfried Kanon being linked of late.
But they would have a challenge making a bigger impact on the team than the evergreen Jagielka.
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