The Best Everton Players Of The Premier League Era: Part One

Everton haven't had a lot of success in the Premier League, but some cult heroes have still emerged.

Players who might not have won any trophies, but still go down as heroes to Everton supporters.

We've taken a look at the best XI of Everton players in the Premier League era, rolling back the years with a bit of nostalgia. 

There's only one player currently remaining at Everton, but could we see the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite added in the future?

Here is part one. The defenders and goalkeeper.

This is an easy one to start. The crazy Mackem himself, Jordan Pickford.

Without him, Everton would be in the Championship, and that is a fact. He has been the most reliable keeper since Big Nev; his ridiculous saves just keep on coming.

The save vs Chelsea and the save vs Newcastle, to name a few. Jordan Pickford really is dynamite.

In most positions in my team this was a no-brainer (sorry Tony Hibbert). Seamus is Everton Football Club.

The reason is quite simple. Seamus burst onto the scene after a decent season on loan at Blackpool, with pace, aggression and bags of talent. Seamus can defend with the best of them.

What caught the eye of many an Evertonian was his ability to beat a player and dart into the box to make things happen in the final third — something that had been lacking for many years.

The fact that Seamus was picked up for a paltry £60,000 shows the eye David Moyes had for a bargain.

As much as Seamus Coleman was a no-brainer, Leighton Baines was even more so. The coolest left-back in the history of the game, with the wand of a left foot.

The records Baines holds and broke over the years are just a small testament to the talent and work rate of the man from Kirkby.

He holds the record for most Premier League assists by a defender, is the third-highest-scoring defender in Premier League history, and is Everton’s leading Premier League penalty scorer.

Renowned for his free-kick taking, Baines scored two free kicks in one match (at the same end) vs West Ham in the 3–2 away win at the old Upton Park.

Captain Marvel at his best. Phil Jagielka was one of the most intelligent centre-backs we have had at our club.

Never renowned for his pace, Jags always seemed to have that extra yard in his brain to be there at the most crucial times.

Having missed the penalty that knocked Everton out of the UEFA Cup in 2008, Jags never really looked back after that disappointment. He was awarded the club’s Player of the Season the season after, only to be cruelly injured for the FA Cup final defeat vs Chelsea.

As good as Jags was in central defence, he will be truly remembered for his last-ditch equaliser vs Liverpool: a thunderbolt into the top corner at the Kop end.

He formed a really important partnership with Sylvain Distin in 2013/14 and 2014/15 (in which Jags once again won Player of the Season). Jags was very much an Everton fans’ favourite.

Probably one of the tougher decisions in my team of the Premier League era. Sylvain gets the nod due to his stubborn and mean partnership with one Phil Jagielka.

If Phil Jagielka never had the pace, Distin definitely made up for that in abundance. Signed for a modest £5m, Sylvain went on to make 174 league appearances for Everton.

He may be more remembered for his mistake — which was very unlike Distin — vs Liverpool at Wembley.

But in Martinez’s first season (2013/14) Distin was one of the players of the year, even with the emergence of young defender John Stones. Distin is definitely up there with the best foreign defenders we have seen in the English Premier League.

Part two coming soon!