It would be “wrong” to take James Garner out of midfield to fill the void in Everton’s problem position of right-back against Manchester United. That’s the view of former Blues captain Alan Stubbs as David Moyes ponders an enforced change to replace the suspended Jake O’Brien.

The Republic of Ireland international is not a natural right-back either, but having failed to make a Premier League start under Sean Dyche, despite his £16.43million fee from Olympique Lyonnais making him the club’s most expensive signing of 2024, the Scot has integrated him into the side by mostly being deployed in that role rather than his preferred centre-back position.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference for the trip to Brighton & Hove Albion, Moyes revealed that Everton have been “actively looking for a right-back for over a year,” but with O’Brien serving a one-match ban, his options include club captain Seamus Coleman, who has started just one Premier League game all season – in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford; Nathan Patterson, who was close to joining Genoa on transfer deadline day of the winter window, and Garner, who is naturally a central midfielder but has been used in...