Jarrad Branthwaite sends message to his haters with new surgery update
Jarrad Branthwaite has shared an update after the Everton defender underwent surgery on his hamstring.
David Moyes said Branthwaite was close to returning before the Aston Villa game at the start of September.
The defender is yet to play a minute this season, amid his struggles with a hamstring issue that he aggravated during pre-season.
Branthwaite was back in training ahead of the trip to Manchester City, and it was hoped that the England international would return to action this week.
But on Monday, Everton confirmed that Branthwaite would undergo surgery, after suffering a further complication in his recovery.
Jarrad Branthwaite sends message after surgery
Branthwaite has an increasingly concerning injury record, with the defender now set to be missing for months to come.
Everton have coped well in the 23-year-old’s absence, with Michael Keane and James Tarkowski stepping up, but there will be concerns about the depth of Moyes‘ squad.
One injury to either Keane or Tarkowski, who have suffered problems in the past, would leave the Scot forced to move Jake O’Brien away from the right of the defence.
| Everton’s available defenders |
| James Tarkowski |
| Michael Keane |
| Vitalii Mykolenko |
| Adam Aznou |
| Jake O’Brien |
| Nathan Patterson |
| Seamus Coleman |
And such a move would cause problems in itself, with the Ireland international currently playing over the injury-prone pair of Nathan Patterson and Seamus Coleman.
More concerning, however, will be the state in which Branthwaite emerges from injury. Surgery can take a huge blow on a player’s ability to return to the form they had experienced before the procedure.
The defender appears to be in good spirits, however, and took to Instagram on Tuesday to share an update – including a message for his haters.
“Operation completed successfully,” Branthwaite wrote. “Thanks to the medical team for their work and to everyone who’s reached out with messages of support.
“Even the negative ones add fuel to the fire and make me more determined. It’s been the toughest spell of my career so far but challenges build character.
“I’ll be back stronger and better than ever. Don’t doubt it.“
Branthwaite fires back at negative comments
It is hard to imagine Everton fans having sent negative messages to Branthwaite, with the defender firmly among the most-beloved Toffees.
The messages the England international refers to have likely come from rival fans, who would, understandably, be keen to see Branthwaite continue to be unavailable for the Blues.
But football can provoke odd reactions from some fans, who may well have shown their frustration with Branthwaite’s absence by taking it out on the 23-year-old himself.
The defender has been clear, however. His only focus is on returning to the pitch for Moyes’ side, and returning to his very best – a prospect that should excite the Everton faithful.
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