Everton received a double blow before kick-off at the Emirates Stadium with two of their important players ruled out
Tyler Dibling, Jack Grealish and Jarrad Branthwaite as players wear Everton in the Community badges on their way into Hill Dickinson Stadium before their game against Ipswich Town
Jack Grealish and Jarrad Branthwaite missed Everton's match at Arsenal
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Jarrad Branthwaite has been ruled of Everton’s game at Arsenal. But the defender misses the match at the Emirates Stadium due to concussion procedure rather than having suffered a new injury.
And in a separate blow for the Blues, Jack Grealish also out because of sickness.
A series of hamstring issues restricted the Branthwaite player to just 10 outings last season with the Carlisle-born player not making his first appearance of the campaign until coming on as a substitute in the 1-1 home draw against Leeds United on January 26 - and then not featuring again after he was stretchered off in tears in the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium on April 19 when Everton conceded a 100th minute goal to lose 2-1.
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Over the summer, the 24-year-old visited the MYOS Sport & Health Clinic in Munich as he looked to cure his fitness woes and he subsequently earned a recall to the England team.
Manager David Moyes revealed Branthwaite had picked up a knock when deputising for Vitalii Mykolenko in the 2-2 draw at Hull City but he remained in the side for the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea last Saturday as the Blues surrendered their unbeaten record this term.
It was in that fixture, seven days ago, that Branthwaite collided with opposition goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, forcing him out of the action with the Argentinian 2022 World Cup winner going to hospital.
The centre-back is replaced in the side by Jake O’Brien, after it is understood Michael Keane had a late fitness check but he is named among the substitutes.
Meanwhile, Ainsley Maitland-Niles is dropped against Arsenal, the club where he spent two decades, with Merlin Rohl seemingly moving to right-back behind Brennan Johnson, who returns to the starting line-up, while Tyrique George comes in on the left wing to replace Grealish.
Everton: Pickford; Rohl, Tarkowski, O'Brien, Mykolenko; Armstrong, Garner; Johnson, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry. Subs: Travers, King, Maitland-Niles, Keane, Norgaard, Alcaraz, Hackney, Graham, Dibling.
Arsenal: Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Merino; Madueke, Odegaard, Eze; Gyokeres. Subs: Arrizabalaga, Calafiori, Mosquera, Hincapie, Timber, Zubimendi, Guimaraes, Dowman, Havertz