Everton ran out 2-1 winners over Port Vale in their behind-closed-doors friendly at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The Toffees got off to a good start in their brand new stadium as they saw off the Valiants for their first win of pre-season.
Everton were first to concede in the game, but they equalised through Carlos Alcaraz’s first-time finish from outside the area.
The Argentine made history by becoming the first Everton men’s player to score at the club’s state-of-the-art stadium.
James Garner then turned the game around for Everton with a wonderful free kick from range.
Plenty of fans and peers, including Demarai Gray and Lee Trundle, reacted to Garner’s worldie on social media.
Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty ImagesDemarai Gray and Lee Trundle show appreciation over James Garner’s free kick in Everton win over Port Vale
Everton and Garner both shared a video of the Toffees midfielder’s free kick, a wonderful effort curled into the top corner from around 25 yards out.
Gray, who played for Everton between 2021 and 2023, posted an exhaling face emoji, while Trundle – a boyhood Toffees fan – posted several fire emojis.
Screengrab of replies under Everton and James Garner’s Instagram post about Garner’s free kick against Port Vale.
Credit: @everton
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jgarnerr96 Instagram
Everton now head to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series.
The Toffees will take on Bournemouth, West Ham and Manchester United in New Jersey, Chicago and Atlanta respectively.
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What the future holds for James Garner
Garner featured prominently under David Moyes last season, playing the full 90 minutes in Everton’s last seven league games, and he made 23 appearances overall for the Blues.
However, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Garner at Everton, as his contract only runs until the summer of 2026.
Garner is 24, meaning he’ll have decent resale value, and the Toffees will surely not want to lose him on a free next summer.