'Wow' - Journalist stunned by late Branthwaite drama today on return to Everton U21s action

Jarrad Branthwaite was involved in major late drama on his return from injury in the 4-3 Everton Under-21s victory against Sunderland, Joe Thomas reported.

The Liverpool Echo journalist was stunned by the star Toffees defender’s acrobatic clearance off the line at the death to preserve the win following a good save by keeper George Pickford on 22 September.

The England international has yet to feature for Sean Dyche’s struggling side after undergoing a “minor” procedure on a groin problem during the summer [The Athletic, 15 August] but appeared to come through the full 90 minutes unscathed.

Thomas wrote in his final pair of updates from the game: “Wow, brilliant, finger tip reaction save from George Pickford which enables Branthwaite to clear acrobatically off the line!

“Ft: 4-3 Everton – Branthwaite a key part of a late rearguard action there. Completes the 90 and finishes smiling”.

Sean Dyche desperate to get Everton star back

Everton fans and Dyche are hardly seeing eye to eye at the moment [Michael Ball, 2 September] but will be united in their hopes of getting Branthwaite back in the first-team line-up as soon as possible.

After a transfer window where the fear was the Toffees would be without him due to a big-money transfer, as Manchester United made multiple bids, the season so far has shown why that was a worry.

Dyche’s side have only recorded one point from five, and the manager’s decision to stick with Michael Keane at centre-back over new signing Jake O’Brien has been a point of contention.

Fans will have to take confidence that any lingering fears of Branthwaite’s groin complaint dogging him further have been dealt with if he was making acrobatic clearances at the death and came away smiling afterwards.

The sooner he can get back to full fitness and into the senior XI again the better as he could bring a positive psychological boost at the back just as much as a practical one.

It has been slightly lost among the furore around results and Dyche’s job security, which the manager hasn’t helped with his comments and insistence on not changing any selection tendencies, that his side has been well below full-strength so far.

A first point on the board in the Premier League is a drop in the ocean but it is a start, and if Branthwaite can return sooner or later there may be a route back into form.

Nathan Patterson also featured in the game and might finally get a look in at right-back amid a seemingly uneasy relationship with Dyche [Daily Mail, 15 March].

And although Ashley Young produced a quality assist for Iliman Ndiaye at Leicester while playing at left-back it would help if there were some more alternatives to the 39-year-old on the right after some more reckless performances so, just maybe, there are some reasons to be hopeful of an upturn in fortunes.

In other Everton news, Richard Keys hadn’t a manger the chance to make a live, on-air pitch for Dyche’s job.

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