Everton midfielder James Garner could make his first start for the Toffees in the near future, according to an update from journalist Paul Brown.

How has Garner fared at Everton?

The 22-year-old moved to Goodison Park during last summer's transfer window, leaving Manchester United after the Red Devils were unable to guarantee him regular playing time. He has had a frustrating time of things at Everton, however, with injuries hindering his playing time significantly.

In total, Garner has only made eight Premier League appearances this season, all of which have come from the substitutes' bench, totalling just 175 minutes of action. The midfielder is therefore still searching for his maiden start in Everton colours, but he has featured since returning from injury, making cameo appearances against Tottenham and his former club.

With Sean Dyche's side preparing to host Fulham in a must-win game on Saturday afternoon, it could be that the young midfielder is finally given a chance to shine from the start.

Could James Garner start against Fulham?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown stated that he was of the opinion that he expects a start to come Garner's way sooner rather than later:

"I think Dyche has used Garner quite a lot, really. It's mainly been him and [Tom] Davies coming off the bench in recent games, giving them a bit of fresh legs – a slightly better passing option, perhaps.

"I think it's quite likely that he ends up starting a game or a few games before the end of the season. Simply because the three that have been in there most of the campaign have played a lot of minutes, and you'd expect them to wear down slightly before the end of the season.

"It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Garner starting soon."

This is a big decision for Dyche to make regarding Garner, with the midfielder clearly a talented footballer – Roy Keane has claimed he is "very good technically" – but also someone lacking experience, especially ahead of such a crucial run of fixtures this season.

It could make the most sense for Everton to continue with Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye in the middle of the park against Fulham, as was the case at United last weekend – with Garner used as an impact substitute in the second half, especially if some creativity is required to change the game. Should he shine from the bench once more, it could then be time to give him a go from the start – particularly if the Toffees grow more desperate for points.