A round-up of the latest Everton news as Johannes Spors cites Jarrad Branthwaite as an example of 777 Partners’ vision and Paul Merson predicts their match at Burnley.
Paul Merson thinks Burnley vs Everton can be a relegation decider
Saturday evening can decide if Everton are in a relegation fight or not this season when Sean Dyche takes his team to Burnley. That is the view of Merson, who believes the Blues winning at Turf Moor will take the Merseyside squad out of trouble despite their 10-point deduction.
But the Clarets winning could easily drag the Blues back into the battle after losing ground in recent weeks. Everton have moved four points clear of the drop zone after winning their last three games and got clean sheets while beating Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Chelsea.
Burnley trail Everton by five points ahead of the two team’s tussle at Turf Moor on Saturday. Luton Town split the upcoming opponents with one extra point over the Clarets. But Everton would be 10th without their penalty, so Merson believes a win will take them out of danger.
Merson wrote in a column for Sportskeeda: “If Everton win at Turf Moor, they are out of the relegation battle despite the 10-point deduction, which is absolutely incredible.
“They are in a bit of a false position in the league. If it wasn’t for the sanction, they’d be ninth or 10th in the standings! That said, the margins are very fine, as they could once again be dragged into a relegation dogfight if they lose this one.”
Read more about what Merson has had to say on Everton’s trip to Burnley, here.
777 Partners chief Johannes Spors praises Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
The sporting director of 777 Partners Johannes Spors thinks Everton have a ‘fantastic’ talent in Jarrad Branthwaite. He also believes the 21-year-old is an ideal example of the philosophy his Miami-based group intend to implement should they complete a takeover of the Toffees.
777 Partners are still waiting for word from the Premier League as they bid to pass its fit and proper owners test. But, should they be successful in buying out Farhad Moshiri, the private investment company already know they intend to run Everton akin to the Red Bull franchise.
Spors believes Red Bull has the perfect system with how it trusts players at a young age with RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig. He also feels Branthwaite is a great example at Everton of how a player develops with game time in first-team football from a very early part in their careers.
Branthwaite started his career in senior football with Carlisle United before joining Everton in January 2020. He is now a vital part of Dyche’s squad at Goodison Park following loans to Blackburn Rovers and PSV Eindhoven. So, the defender is Spors’ example for 777 Partners.
Spors told The Telegraph: “He’s a fantastic player. It’s the combination of his technique, his speed and the way he uses his body, in combination with the mentality and in combination with experience at that age, which he got from going on loan.”
Read more about what 777 Partners chief Spors has said about Everton’s Branthwaite, here.
Chris Sutton backs Everton to beat Burnley despite Jarrad Branthwaite’s ban
Celtic hero Chris Sutton predicts Everton will beat Burnley despite Branthwaite missing their trip to Turf Moor through suspension. Like Idrissa Gana Gueye, the centre-back received his fifth yellow card in the Premier League this season as the Toffees beat Chelsea last Sunday.
Dyche will now be without Branthwaite and Gueye as he returns to Burnley for the first time as an opposition manager. Referee Michael Oliver gave Branthwaite his yellow card at home to Chelsea for a foul on Armando Broja. Gueye earned a caution for fouling Enzo Fernandez.
Not having Branthwaite at Burnley through suspension will be huge for Everton. Dyche has started the Carlisle product in each of the Toffees’ last 14 Premier League games. But Sutton expects the Blues will still have enough to continue their winning streak away to the Clarets.
Sutton noted in his BBC Sport column: “He is going back to his old club with an Everton team that has an identity and is playing well. Jarrad Branthwaite’s suspension is a blow but I still think the Toffees will make it four wins in a row without him.”
Read more about what Sutton has had to say on Everton’s trip to Burnley, here.
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