It is fair to say Everton and Newcastle United are having very contrasting seasons.
The Toffees are just a point off sixth place in the Premier League and have been playing some very promising stuff under Marco Silva.
Meanwhile, Newcastle had found themselves near the bottom of the table until their recent back-to-back wins versus Watford and Bournemouth.
Nevertheless, regardless of their league positions, both sides have some very good players at their disposal, including at the back.
Michael Keane
Last season, Keane struggled massively at Goodison Park following his big-money transfer from Burnley.
With that being said, the 25-year-old is still a solid defender on his day and has shown as much this campaign.
Keane did not cope well with the transition from playing in a deep block under Sean Dyche to being used in a more higher line under Ronald Koeman and never managed to recover until now.
The strength he showed in the air and composure on the ball at Burnley is starting to be seen again, while his 1v1 defending in general now looks to be at a good standard.
Keane has since been recalled to the England squad — deservedly so — and knows he will need to retain his form if he is to remain there and in the Everton starting XI with Yerry Mina and Kurt Zouma both joining the club over the summer.
TT Grade: C+
Jamaal Lascelles
Lascelles will be the first person to tell you his own performances, as well as his team-mates’, have not been good enough this term.
Lascelles, however, is still a brilliant centre-half, perhaps even the best outside the Premier League top six.
The Newcastle captain played an inspirational role in helping his side secure a 10th place finish last season following their return to English football’s top flight after a campaign in the Championship.
At the back, Lascelles was consistent, putting in commanding and authoritative performances each week while marshalling the rest of the Newcastle defence efficiently.
With all of that in mind, the signing of Lascelles has been one of the better moves Mike Ashley has made at Newcastle during his chaotic tenure as owner of the Tyneside club.
TT Grade: A-
TT Verdict:
After a tough start to life at Everton, Keane is finally starting to blossom as a central defender under Silva.
His performances in recent weeks have been impressive and, at 25, he has more than enough time on his side to improve even further.
When comparing the Everton man to Lascelles, though, it is not really a real contest — or at least when considering the form of the two over the past year.
Lascelles looks the more solid defender in every defensive aspect, while his leadership skills makes him the ideal captain for any manager.
Furthermore, the Newcastle skipper wins this battle between Premier League central defenders.
