Mike Dean brands Jarrad Branthwaite ‘lazy’ live on Sky Sports in reaction to incident in 3-2 Everton win at Crystal Palace
Mike Dean branded Jarrad Branthwaite “lazy” as he said the penalty conceded early by the Everton defender was right to be given “all day” at Crystal Palace.
The former Premier League referee reacted live on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday after the 21-year-old brought down Eberechi Eze in the opening minutes, with the Eagles forward slotting the fifth-minute spot kick past Jordan Pickford to equalise.
The Toffees had made their ideal start as Vitalii Mykolenko scored for the second game running inside a minute, but Branthwaite’s error handed the hosts a route back into the game almost immediately, minutes after another penalty appeal with Sue Smith dismissing the first but agreeing with the second.
Smith said (3.04pm): “It’s a penalty to Crystal Palace and it’s Eze, brilliant feet, gets himself into the area and it’s Branthwaite who does get a touch on him. Straight away the referee points to the spot, they are checking it for VAR.
“But just before that they could have had a penalty. Again it was on the left-hand side it was [Jeffrey] Schlupp, does well and gets himself forward, and [James] Tarkowski just gets a touch on the ball, nothing in it. This time I think this is going to be given as a penalty. I don’t know what you think Mike?”
Dean said: “Yeah he hasn’t played the ball Branthwaite, just stuck a lazy leg out. Poor defending, he’s definitely caught him, I think it’s a penalty all day.”
Smith added: “Yeah he just sort of dangles a leg out.”
Dean said: “He doesn’t have to do it. It’s a penalty.”
Gift
Branthwaite has been hailed from all directions for his performances this season since replacing Michael Keane in the line-up, and rightly so for the most part.
But his early showing at Selhurst Park was more reminiscent of the man he replaced as he conceded one penalty and risked giving away a second later in the half.
On that occasion Eze was booked for a dive and the VAR review deemed there to be not enough evidence to overturn the decision despite apparent contact from the Everton centre-back.
Sean Dyche will have been extremely disappointed to see his side start the game exactly as he would have hoped for only to waste it so quickly.
Eze caused the Toffees all sorts of problems, with Tarkowski and Branthwaite having their hands full up against the Palace forward.
A new defensive steel has helped characterise the improved form for Dyche’s men but Branthwaite betrayed that trend in surprising fashion in South London, with the only obvious explanation being the knock which the defender had during the week hampering his performance.
Branthwaite improved as the game wore on and Tarkowski was the man at fault for Odsonne Edouard’s second equaliser, but on the day the attack proved the difference in a big 3-2 victory.
In other Everton news, a finance expert was shocked to see the contents of a 777 investment pitch after receiving it apparently by mistake.