James Garner has revealed there were 'mixed emotions' in Everton’s dressing room following the dramatic draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Yerry Mina's 99th-minute equaliser rescued the Blues a point against Julen Lopetegui’s side at Molineux on Saturday afternoon. Hee-Chan Hwang had given Wolves a first-half lead.
The point, along with Leeds United’s defeat to West Ham United, ensures Everton currently remain in a positive position in the Premier League table heading into Sunday’s final game of the season against Bournemouth at Goodison Park.
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“There were mixed emotions from the lads (following the Wolves draw),” Garner revealed. “We were happy to get the equaliser in the last minute, but it was definitely a game we felt we could have won.
“The goal we conceded could have been avoided. But it was a crucial point and it could be massive going into the final game of the season. I can’t wait for the weekend. It’s crunch time now. It’s the last game of the season and we know it’s massive.
"We have to focus on ourselves, we know the fans are going to be massive for us; they’re going to be that 12th man. We need to focus on ourselves, what we can control, and that’s getting the three points this weekend.”
The Everton midfielder only recently returned to first-team action after being sidelined since November with a back injury. The summer signing from Manchester United also missed a chunk of the opening months of the campaign.
And while Garner admits this campaign has been a tough one personally due to his injury problems, he now believes he is starting to get back to his best.
He said: “It’s been a tough season for me. The injury and then having to fight to get back into the team. Now, I feel like I am a starter, I have been the last six or seven games and I am getting better each game.
“It’s just a shame we only have one more game left and I haven’t been able to add as much as I’d like to the team, but we have that final game. In it, I am going to give 100 percent, like the rest of the lads will.”
The England under-21 international has started six of Everton’s past seven Premier League games and performed impressively in each. Five of those have been in central midfield, but Garner was asked to play down the right against Wolves at the weekend.
He excelled in the unfamiliar position and received high recognition from his boss post-match, and speaking about the change, Garner revealed he is prepared to play wherever needed to help his side.
“I’d never played right wing-back, or on the right wing,” he told evertontv. “But I like to see myself as a versatile player, and I am here to do a job for the team.
“Wherever the gaffer wants me to play, I will play. I give 100 percent in every single game I play in. I think I played well but it was just another game in my eyes.”
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