Why the Premier League’s best left-back plays in a relegation battle

Vitalii Mykolenko is the best left-back in the Premier League this season. That’s not hyperbole from a Ukrainian patriot or an Evertonian drowning in false hope. It’s a statistical fact. Yet his name barely registers among the usual suspects — Robertson, Chilwell, Zinchenko. The mainstream’s blindness to his brilliance reveals more about their biases than his limitations.

The numbers behind the silence

Mykolenko leads all Premier League left-backs in tackles per 90 (3.2), interceptions (1.8), and aerial duels won (73%). He’s also third in clearances and blocks. For a defender at a club fighting relegation, those numbers should shout. Instead, they whisper beneath the noise of bigger names at bigger clubs.

His duel success rate — 68% — dwarfs Robertson’s 54% and Chilwell’s 57%. He’s committed just 18 fouls all season, half of Robertson’s tally, while dispossessing opponents twice as often. The Ukrainian international doesn’t just defend; he defends with a discipline that borders on art.

The argument: structure above stardom

Mykolenko’s value lies in structural stability. He doesn’t overlap mindlessly or abandon his post for highlight-reel crosses. Instead, he holds a defensive line that allows Everton’s centre-backs to breathe. His decision-making under pressure transforms chaos into calm.

  • Against Manchester City in January, he neutralised Phil Foden for 90 minutes — winning 9 of 11 duels and making 5 interceptions. Foden created zero chances.
  • At Anfield in February, he limited Mohamed Salah to his lowest expected threat (0.12) of any match this season. Salah’s average is 0.48.
  • His pass completion under pressure (87%) ranks first among defenders in the bottom half, 5% higher than any teammate. He’s a release valve in a team that can’t keep the ball.

These aren’t flashes. They’re a pattern of excellence that’s been ignored because Everton’s results don’t generate headlines. Mykolenko doesn’t play in the Champions League or contend for titles. So the media assume he can’t be elite.

The counter-argument: attacking deficiency?

Critics point to Mykolenko’s zero assists and 1.1 key passes per 90. They call him a defensive specialist in an era where full-backs must create. The charge has merit on paper — but it misunderstands his function. Everton’s system under Sean Dyche demands that left-backs prioritise coverage for the central midfielders who push high. Mykolenko’s attacking output is a tactical sacrifice, not a personal failing.

When he has ventured forward, the results are telling. In a 3-0 win over Brighton, he created three chances from deep crossing positions — more than any Everton player that day. His crossing accuracy (43%) actually beats Robertson’s (41%). The assists will come if the system shifts. But the media’s obsession with output over influence punishes players in defensive roles at struggling clubs.

He will start for a top-four side next season — and prove everyone wrong

This summer, a top-six club will sign Vitalii Mykolenko for around £25m. He will immediately improve their defence and, crucially, make those around him better. By March 2026, he will be in the conversation for the Premier League’s Team of the Season. The pundits who ignored him will scramble to craft narratives about his “grit” and “work rate.” But those of us who watched him at Goodison, grinding out clean sheets in a relegation battle, will have known all along.

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