Overview
- Jarrad Branthwaite, who went off on a stretcher late on Sunday in a 2-1 Merseyside derby loss to Liverpool, suffered an apparent hamstring issue after a tussle with Cody Gakpo.
- Everton conceded deep into stoppage time when Virgil van Dijk headed the winner, capping a match in which lengthy treatment for Branthwaite added to added time.
- David Moyes said he was worried the injury could be serious, adding that the defender had been one of Everton’s best performers before he went down.
- Scans are pending to confirm the severity, with reports describing a suspected recurrence of the hamstring problem that kept the 23-year-old out for months earlier this season after surgery.
- Moyes is expected to turn to experienced centre-back Michael Keane in the short term, as analysts also debate whether renewed fitness concerns could weigh on Branthwaite’s transfer value after past bids from Manchester United were rejected.