‘He tells me how good he is’: Everton captain says Moyes’ No.8 should already be in Tuchel’s England squad

Everton captain James Tarkowski believes Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall should already be in the England squad, and he has made the case just before Thomas Tuchel picks his next one.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was player of the match again on Monday night as Everton won 1-0 at Newcastle United, four days after he had collected the same award in a 3-1 Carabao Cup win over the Magpies. Thierno Barry’s eighth goal of the season settled the league game at St James’ Park and lifted David Moyes’ side to seventh.

Tuchel confirms his squad for England’s UEFA Nations League games against Croatia and Spain on Friday at 10am GMT. The Everton No.8 has never won a senior cap, and his captain thinks that should change now.

What did Dewsbury-Hall do at St James’ Park?

Plenty. The 28-year-old made three key passes, completed every dribble he tried and covered 11.9km, the second-highest distance of anyone on the pitch.

He was behind most of Everton’s best moments in a first half they dominated. His free-kick was headed down by Jarrad Branthwaite into Barry’s path, but the striker could not get a clean contact from seven yards. In first-half stoppage time, his curling cross from the left edge of the box just missed Jake O’Brien at the back post, and seconds later he cut the ball back for Harrison Armstrong, who screwed a first-time finish wide from 12 yards.

After Barry tapped in from a yard out four minutes into the second half, Dewsbury-Hall almost doubled the lead himself with a whipped shot from 25 yards that Lukas Hornicek turned over the bar. Everton then held on through eight minutes of stoppage time, with Jordan Pickford’s legs denying Yoane Wissa late on.

‘He tells me how good he is all the time’

Tarkowski started with a joke, but the rest of his verdict was serious. Speaking to evertontv, the Everton skipper said: “I don’t really like praising him because he tells me how good he is all the time! No, he’s top level. He really is. I think he’s developed a confidence now where he wants to be the one to make the difference all the time. He takes the ball constantly and he’s been terrific for us.”

On England, he went further: “I think he should be in the England set-up already. He’s obviously in a position where there’s so much strength in that England set-up already, so it’s tough for him.”

He added: “But I see him day in and day out and the quality he brings and also the mentality he brings to the team. So, I’m really pleased for him, and all he can do is just keep performing the way he has done, and hopefully [the call-up] will come.”

Is Moyes on board too?

He is. Moyes also used his post-match interview with evertontv to say his player of the match deserves a call-up, so the push is coming from the dugout as well as the dressing room.

The manager had good reason to be in a generous mood. Everton went into Monday’s trip to Tyneside on the back of the cup win, came away with a third straight victory at St James’ Park and are now in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals as well as the top half of the table.

‘It’s about time Seamus stops asking me to play for Ireland’

Dewsbury-Hall was interviewed at full-time by his former Everton captain and close friend Seamus Coleman, who was a studio guest on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. Coleman told him he had been the best player on the pitch, and the midfielder kept his answer on England light.

“We’ll have to wait and see! It’s about time Seamus stops asking me to play for Ireland! It is what it is. I’ll just keep trying to put in good performances like that and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “I’ve said in the past, if I’m performing for my football club, it only gives me a better chance of playing for my country.”

He was far less relaxed about Everton’s ambitions. He called the club “a sleeping giant of the English game” and said: “I’m not here to just go through the motions and finish mid-table. No, I want to push for something, because I’m coming into the prime years of my career.”

Verdict: Dewsbury-Hall has done all he can before Friday

Two player of the match awards in four days, against the same side, is about as loud as a midfielder can make his case. Tarkowski is right that England’s midfield is crowded, and that is the only real argument against him.

A first call-up would not be a reward for one good week, either. Dewsbury-Hall is the one Everton look for when they need to make something happen, and if Tuchel wants a player in form, the Everton No.8 is hard to ignore. If the squad comes out on Friday without him, expect his captain to be asked about it again.