The Everton midfielder was brilliant against Southampton this weekend.
Everton followed up their 2-2 draw against Watford on the opening weekend with a very impressive 3-0 victory away to Southampton on Saturday lunchtime.
The Toffees won courtesy of two goals from Belgian international Romelu Lukaku and one from the resurgent Ross Barkley.
But while the goal-scorers understandably stole the headlines there was another Everton player who quietly and effectively impressed for Roberto Martinez’s side.
Gareth Barry may be 34 but he remains a vital player for this Everton side and he proved that emphatically on Saturday.
| Passing Accuracy | Tackles Won | Duels Won | Aerials Won | Interceptions Won | Ball Recoveries | Dispossessed | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gareth Barry | 86% | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 90 |
Barry’s passing accuracy was 86 per cent – below that of fellow Everton midfielder James McCarthy but still impressive given that the match was away from home.
The experienced Everton player really stood out when it came to ball recoveries – of which he won eight – while he was not dispossessed all afternoon.
Barry also won two tackles, four duels, two aerial battles and three interceptions, and it is fair to say this was one of his best performances in quite some time.
Everton fans and Martinez alike will both be hoping that upturn in form continues in the weeks and months ahead.
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