For two seasons, James Tarkowski has been the unshakeable foundation of Everton's defence—the "Mr. Dependable" who never misses a minute. But after last night's frantic 3-3 draw with Manchester City, a troubling question is echoing around Goodison Park: is our vice-captain starting to crack?

Last night's match was a perfect snapshot of Tarkowski's 2025-26 campaign. While Thierno Barry's double and Everton's fightback from 0-1 to 3-1 rightly grabbed the headlines, the defensive lapses that let City escape with a point were nothing short of costly. The most alarming moment came in the 83rd minute. Just seconds after taking the lead, the veteran pairing of Tarkowski and Michael Keane switched off completely. Erling Haaland raced onto a Mateo Kovacic pass with embarrassing ease, and Tarkowski's lack of recovery pace and poor positioning were brutally exposed as the Norwegian lifted the ball over Jordan Pickford. Conceding within moments of scoring suggests a worrying leadership void at the heart of the backline.

Discipline is also becoming a recurring concern. Tarkowski's 53rd-minute yellow card for a cynical foul on Jeremy Doku was his seventh of the season—forcing him to walk a tightrope for the rest of the match and limiting his ability to challenge City's late surge. While he still dominates in the air (ranking in the 96th percentile for aerial duels won), other numbers tell a more troubling story. Everton have conceded 39 goals with Tarkowski on the pitch across 33 starts this season. He has already given away a penalty for handball (against Leeds) and was cited for an error leading to a goal in February's 1-2 loss at Fulham.

For a defender once known for rock-solid reliability, these cracks are becoming harder to ignore. Is this just a rough patch—or the beginning of a decline for Everton's defensive anchor?