The timing is cruel for Branthwaite, who has been restricted to just six appearances and 681 minutes of Premier League action this season, managing one goal and one assist. He previously missed 23 matches between August and January. Former Everton set-piece coach Charlie Adam noted the worrying signs. "I think that's probably what's in the back of his mind," Adam said totalkSPORT. "It looks like that right hamstring again where he had that surgery earlier in the season, [he was] just coming back from that. So, yeah, if it's that hamstring again it's a bitter blow for him because he's a top young talent and he was working his way back to fitness with that. Good luck to him because I knew when I was in the football club that hamstring was a problem for him and hopefully it's not too serious. But if he's had surgery on that before it'll be a long time for him to come back."