The Leeds United frontman has emphatically answered questions over his fitness record at Elland Road.
Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite was encouraged to visit a holistic German injury clinic after seeing how it helped Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The pair, former Everton teammates, have both earned England recalls for upcoming Nations League fixtures after impressive starts to the season at their respective clubs. Calvert-Lewin has four goals across all competitions for Leeds and more importantly, has gone more than a full year without missing a game through injury.
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Branthwaite missed large chunks of last season at Everton due to ongoing hamstring issues and was unable to be picked for the World Cup. In a bid to curb his injury nightmare, the centre-back attended the same clinic in Munich visited by Calvert-Lewin in 2023.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been excellent again this season.placeholder image
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been excellent again this season. | Getty Images
"We found someone in Germany when we went there, and I was there for three or four weeks, just looking at a different approach to the body, a holistic approach to the body, essentially,” Branthwaite said. “And fingers crossed, it's put me in a good position.
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"You don't just look at the hamstring as such. You look at everything, the way you move, and how your brain works and how it functions at different times under fatigue and things. I spoke to him [Calvert-Lewin] before I went just to ask him what he thought of it and how it all worked.
“He only had positive things [to say]. If you see what he’s done in the last two seasons, it’s probably worked for him. I spoke to him and he held them in high regard so that’s why I went over and had the opportunity.”
The clinic looks to have had a positive effect on Branthwaite, who has played every Premier League minute for Everton this season. It certainly helped Calvert-Lewin who is arguably in the form of his life at Leeds.
The striker earned a first England call-up in five years last spring and went on to score 14 Premier League goals in his debut campaign at Elland Road. This season, he’s on course to improve that tally with three top-flight strikes in just five appearances already.
Calvert-Lewin will hope to get a chance to impress England boss Thomas Tuchel when his nation host world champions Spain in the Nations League on Saturday. The Three Lions also play home and away against Czechia either side of a trip to Croatia.