Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite's season appeared to be over when he dropped to the turf in Sunday's Merseyside's derby - with reports now suggesting that is the case
Jarrad Branthwaite leaves on a stretcher during the match between Everton and Liverpool at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images
Jarrad Branthwaite leaves on a stretcher during the match between Everton and Liverpool at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images
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Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is expected to miss the final weeks of the season with the hamstring injury he suffered against Liverpool, according to reports.
The Everton centre-back was left in tears after collapsing to the turf following an innocuous tussle with Cody Gakpo in the final minutes of the Merseyside derby.
The 23-year-old was stretchered off the pitch and later left Hill Dickinson Stadium in a brace and on crutches ahead of tests on his latest setback.
Branthwaite missed the first five months of this season after suffering a hamstring injury on the eve of the campaign. He suffered a setback that led to him requiring surgery during his recovery and eventually returned in the home draw against Leeds United in late January.
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While he picked up his spot in the Blues backline, scoring in the 3-2 win at Newcastle United, his minutes continued to be managed and he missed the team’s warm weather training camp in Portugal and the narrow defeat at Arsenal before appearing from the bench in the win over Chelsea.
The most recent international break appeared to help and he started at Brentford and was then impressive against Liverpool on Sunday before crumpling in anguish with the game still 1-1. Everton conceded a late winner in the stoppage time that followed.
David Moyes conceded he was “worried” about his defender in the aftermath of the match and the sight of him leaving the stadium on crutches, coupled with his injury history, made his return before the end of the season unlikely.
Now, according to the Mail, initial scans have shown the England international’s injury is not as bad as first feared but that he could still face two months on the sidelines, with the hope now being he will be available at the start of the club’s pre-season.
There is a belief the latest injury, while in the same leg, is in a different area to the one that decimated the first half of his campaign.