James Garner tops the best Premier League tacklers ranking for 2026/27

James Garner is the Premier League's best tackler in 2026/27, according to a ranking combining tackles won, efficiency, fouls and tactical role. The Everton midfielder made approximately 72 successful tackles from 120 attempts in 2025/26 and has continued his defensive output this season.

  • Ranking: Best Premier League tacklers in 2026/27
  • Top spot: James Garner, Everton
  • 2025/26 total: Approximately 72 tackles won from 120 attempts across 38 league matches
  • Early 2026/27 leader: Anan Khalaili, Crystal Palace — 14 tackles in four appearances
  • Discipline: Garner collected 12 yellow cards in 2025/26
  • Statistics correct as of: 19 September 2026

The numbers

  • James Garner (Everton): Approximately 72 tackles won from 120 total attempts in 2025/26 across all 38 league matches.
  • Anan Khalaili (Crystal Palace): 14 tackles in his first four 2026/27 league appearances.
  • Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest): More than 60 tackles won in 2025/26; nine tackles in the opening weeks of 2026/27.
  • James Justin (Leeds United): Nine tackles in his first four 2026/27 appearances.
  • Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace): More than 100 tackles completed in 2025/26, with approximately 65 won.
  • Elliot Anderson (Manchester City): More than 100 tackles in 2025/26 and approximately 60 won while playing for Nottingham Forest.

Why Garner leads the ranking

James Garner won more tackles than any other player during the 2025/26 campaign. His position at the centre of Everton's defensive work requires him to contest second balls, confront opponents moving through midfield and prevent counterattacks after possession is lost. His tackling is not purely reactive: he frequently recognises the intended pass and closes down the receiving player before the ball arrives.

Garner also accepts risk. He may intervene tactically if an opponent escapes Everton's initial pressure, stopping the attack before it reaches the defensive line. That willingness produced 12 yellow cards last season. The combination of volume, work rate and full-season evidence places him at the top of the ranking.

Khalaili's fast start and the early-season sample

Anan Khalaili has made the most productive tackling start to 2026/27, completing 14 tackles across his first four league appearances. He presses opponents, tracks runners and competes for possession in central and wide areas. His mobility allows him to cover significant distances before making a challenge, engaging early rather than waiting for danger to develop.

Crystal Palace lead the early team rankings for tackles won, suggesting their system actively encourages players to challenge and recover possession. Khalaili's ranking remains provisional because four matches cannot match Garner's full-season evidence, but his start makes him the leading tackler of the new season so far.

Full-backs dominate the chasing pack

Neco Williams has built a reputation as one of the Premier League's most active defensive full-backs. The Nottingham Forest defender won more than 60 tackles in 2025/26 and has completed nine tackles in the opening weeks of 2026/27. Full-backs regularly face the league's most dangerous dribblers. Williams must judge when to approach a winger, when to delay and when to direct the opponent towards a less threatening area.

His speed helps him recover if an attacker moves beyond him, but his best defensive moments come when he times the first challenge correctly. He is particularly effective when forcing an opponent towards the touchline, reducing the attacker's options before making a controlled tackle. Nottingham Forest often defend with discipline and look to recover possession before attacking quickly.

James Justin has emerged as one of the leading tacklers in the opening weeks, completing nine tackles during his first four appearances for Leeds United. His versatility allows him to operate on either side of the defence. Against a winger who wants to attack the outside, Justin can use his positioning to limit space near the touchline; against an opponent moving infield, he can delay until midfield support arrives. His recovery speed gives him a margin for error that other full-backs lack.

Mitchell's patience and Anderson's volume

Tyrick Mitchell remains one of the Premier League's most dependable one-on-one defenders. The Crystal Palace left-back completed more than 100 tackles during 2025/26 and won approximately 65 of them, placing him among the leading players for both activity and successful challenges. He is frequently isolated in wide areas, where a poorly timed challenge can allow an opponent a clear route towards the penalty area.

His patience is central to his technique. Mitchell does not always attempt to win the ball immediately; he can delay the attacker, match their movement and wait until the ball moves far enough away from their feet. By preventing a winger from moving infield onto a preferred foot, he directs the attack towards a less dangerous area. Crystal Palace's aggressive defensive approach provides him with numerous opportunities to recover possession, and his consistency across a full campaign keeps him above several players with stronger early 2026/27 totals.

Elliot Anderson was one of the Premier League's most productive tacklers during the 2025/26 season. The midfielder made more than 100 tackles and won approximately 60 of them while playing for Nottingham Forest. His combination of defensive activity and passing involvement made him a standout performer.

Tactical analysis: why tackle totals alone mislead

The ranking deliberately weighs tackles won, total tackles, efficiency, fouls, tactical role and the difficulty of each challenge. A defender playing for a team without much possession will naturally have more opportunities to make challenges than a midfielder representing a side that controls most matches. Some excellent defensive players rarely need to tackle because their positioning prevents danger from developing.

That context explains why Garner and Mitchell rank so highly. Both play for sides that spend long periods without the ball, forcing them into repeated defensive actions. Garner's 120 attempted tackles and Mitchell's 100-plus completed tackles reflect volume as well as quality. By contrast, Khalaili's 14 tackles in four games stand out because Crystal Palace's system encourages early engagement rather than reactive defending.

The early-season sample remains small. Four matches cannot provide the same evidence as a full 38-game campaign, which is why players with completed 2025/26 seasons — Garner, Williams, Mitchell and Anderson — anchor the top of the ranking. As the 2026/27 campaign develops, the statistics will change and the provisional positions of Khalaili and Justin will be tested.

Talking points

  • Should a four-game sample be enough for Khalaili to rank second, ahead of full-season performers like Neco Williams and Tyrick Mitchell?
  • Garner's 12 yellow cards show his tackling carries risk — is that acceptable for Everton's defensive structure, or does it cost them too often?
  • Crystal Palace lead the early team tackles-won rankings with two players in the top five. Is their system genuinely aggressive, or just reactive?
  • Elliot Anderson's 2025/26 numbers came at Nottingham Forest. Can he replicate that defensive volume at Manchester City, where possession is far more dominant?

What happens next

The Premier League season continues through the autumn, with the tackling statistics to be updated as the campaign develops. Garner's hold on top spot will be tested by Khalaili's early-season form and by the full-backs chasing him. The next round of fixtures offers each contender a chance to strengthen their case, with the ranking set to shift as sample sizes grow.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the best tackler in the Premier League in 2026/27?

James Garner of Everton tops the ranking, having won more tackles than any other player in 2025/26 — approximately 72 from 120 attempts across all 38 league matches.

Who has made the most tackles in the 2026/27 Premier League season so far?

Anan Khalaili of Crystal Palace completed 14 tackles across his first four league appearances, the highest early total among individual players.

How many tackles did Tyrick Mitchell win in 2025/26?

Mitchell completed more than 100 tackles during 2025/26 and won approximately 65 of them for Crystal Palace.

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