View: Everton to have mixed feelings after 50% star flopped v Man United

Jarrad Branthwaite didn’t come close to reflecting his £80million transfer valuation with a woeful performance as Everton lost 4-0 at Manchester United.

Lining up at Old Trafford for the Toffees on 1 December rather than the hosts after a summer of transfer speculation, Branthwaite looked far from the potentially world-class defender Manchester United were pursuing.

The 22-year-old was at fault for the second goal conceded, having his pocket pinched in his half by Amad Diallo to leave the rest of the Blues’ defence at sixes and sevens.

Having been slapped with an £80m price tag to ward off the likes of United [TEAMtalk, 20 October], Branthwaite’s display may have done enough to ensure Old Trafford doesn’t become his permanent home any time soon.

Jarrad Branthwaite costs Everton against Manchester United

Manchester United are far from the only club keen on signing Branthwaite shortly, but those interested sides may be having second thoughts after watching his display at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Though his defensive actions were praised early on, Branthwaite and his teammates were soon up against it, with the England centre-back completing just three defensive actions in the entire match.

These included a clearance and a last-man tackle from the 22-year-old, but he was only able to complete 50 per cent of his attempted challenges and recovered the ball on three occasions [FotMob].

With the ball at his feet, Branthwaite was composed as ever – until he wasn’t – with a 94 per cent pass completion rate looking impressive until realising the one time he was dispossessed cost Everton a goal.

Sean Dyche’s maligned game plan necessitated plenty of long balls forward, but Branthwaite could only complete 50 per cent of his two attempts [FotMob], and his one failed duel from five led to the hosts’ second goal.

The Toffees didn’t sell Branthwaite to Manchester United this summer at the behest of Dyche, but having seen him come up with costly errors on Sunday, the Red Devils may be glad to have looked elsewhere.

In other Everton news, Andy Townsend slammed Farhad Moshiri’s record at Goodison amid calls for Dychemto be sacked.

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