David Moyes shares new Jarrad Branthwaite injury update ahead of Burnley vs Everton
David Moyes has provided an update on Jarrad Branthwaite ahead of the trip to Burnley on Saturday.
Moyes‘ side travel to Turf Moor on 27 December, looking to bounce back from the defeat to Arsenal last time out, in which the former Chelsea man was not involved.
Everton were unfortunate to taste defeat against Mikel Arteta’s side, with a Viktor Gyokeres penalty being the difference between the sides.
The Blues will be without Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye, as they are at the Africa Cup of Nations, and their troubles do not stop there.
Moyes shares Everton injury latest for Burnley
Jarrad Branthwaite has not played a single minute for Everton this season, but Merlin Rohl returned from a hernia issue against the Gunners.
Dewsbury-Hall missed out after picking up a hamstring issue against Chelsea, and Seamus Coleman was absent and Moyes seemed to confirm that they would miss out again.
There was a more encouraging update on Branthwaite, though.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on 23 December, he said: “We’re just about the same as we were at the weekend, not too much change.
Jarrad’s [Branthwaite] getting closer to the grass so we hope we can get him back by the end of the month, but it may be longer so we’ll see.
“Well, he is not due to integrate back in for at least another two to three weeks, maybe more, so it is not as though I am getting him back quickly.
“I am just saying, it is beginning to look better than it was, we are getting closer to a point of that, but my bigger worry is that he has missed so much of the season, to get back into the swing of it quickly.
“We need him back, just to have him back in the squad would be great, for the numbers, but there is a plan for him and how he works, and he is on that at the moment.”
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Why Everton need to be at their best vs Burnley
The Toffees 2-0 victory in December 2023, the last time that the sides met in Lancashire was their first away win against the Clarets for five years.
The Blues had lost twice and drawn their last three on the road at Burnley before that win, with a 3-2 in April 2022, a 1-1 draw in December 2020 and a 1-0 loss in October 2019.
They did secure a 5-1 win in December 2018, with Yerry Mina, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Richarlison and a Lucas Digne double condemning the hosts to a dismal result.
The visitors lost 2-1 in March 2018, which means that it has not been a happy hunting ground for the Merseysiders in the last few years.
Moyes needs his side to be on top form to overcome the relegation strugglers and get the Blues’ season back on track.
Everton, in their current position, should be getting the better of a newly-promoted side, with relative ease, but their record will be a concern.
Hopefully, they can overcome the hoodoo with ease and get back to winning ways.
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