Having signed from Barnsley back in the summer of 2015, Mason Holgate has endured a rather difficult time at Everton. The 23-year-old hasn’t exactly established himself as a key part of the first-team since his arrival, making just 64 appearances for the senior side.
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But this season has seen him play a far more prominent role, having featured 16 times across all competitions. And not only that, he has played and completed the full 90 minutes in the Toffees’ last ten Premier League games. Against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon, Holgate was once again thrust into the action, and with the Magpies fielding both Andy Carroll and Joelinton up top, he knew he was in for a rough afternoon.
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But the Englishman dealt admirably in the face of an incredibly stern test, and as per Sofascore, made four clearances, two interceptions and blocked one shot.
After seeing his performance, Everton fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the man signed by Roberto Martinez, and were quick to hail his ability to play in different positions.
A couple of supporters of the Merseyside club drew comparisons with former players of the game, with one fan in particular harking back to former Everton man Alan Harper who was part of the Toffees side back in the mid-1980s.
A few fans were quick to point out how quickly Holgate has improved in recent weeks, with supporters praising his performance at Old Trafford earlier this month. One in particular claimed that the defender’s form is “like having a new signing”.
Despite featuring predominantly at centre-back this season – he has played there 13 times – Holgate has also shown his worth to this Everton side by playing in different positions too. Duncan Ferguson experimented with him at holding midfield in his final game in interim charge of the Toffees, and the fact that he has seamlessly slipped back into life at the back says a lot about how much progress he has made at Goodison Park. The 23-year-old is beginning to show why the Merseyside club signed him in the first place.
Meanwhile, this Everton transfer target could be a better fit under Carlo Ancelotti than Michael Keane.
