Everton gem shuns PL controversy with display in ‘special’ Goodison Park moment

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Jarrad Branthwaite ignored all background noise at Everton as he put on a standout performance for England U21s.

The defender was named captain as the Young Lions faced Northern Ireland at Goodison Park last night and he certainly didn’t disappoint in front of his home fans.

Jarrad Branthwaite only has a handful of international caps to his name since making his U21 debut in June, but he has since come on leaps and bounds after an ‘unbelievable’ start to life in the Premier League.

Despite the 21-year-old’s superb defensive displays for the Toffees, his efforts appear to have been ruled out by the club’s recent 10-point deduction.

However, Branthwaite didn’t let any distractions affect him as he enjoyed a ‘special’ moment during England U21’s 3-0 win on Merseyside.

While it was Liverpool pair Tyler Morton and Harvey Elliott that grabbed the goals, Branthwaite certainly did Everton proud with his display.

The centre-back had the most touches for England (123) and had the highest pass accuracy on the pitch (97%), making use of his ability to spread the ball out from the backline.

Branthwaite picked up a clean sheet at Goodison Park and certainly earned it, making four clearances, winning 87.5% of his duels and also winning the most aerial duels on the pitch (5).

Sofascore gave Branthwaite the highest rating away from the goal-scorers, and the youngster has admitted how ‘proud’ he was to take the captain’s armband on home soil.

Speaking to Everton’s official website, the defender said: “It was definitely a proud moment.

“To captain England wherever it’s at is a privilege for me. It was a proud moment for me and my family, and especially being at home at Goodison. It made it even more special, so it was a really good night and a great result.

“I think it was a good performance. It shows the quality of the team to make the game look so easy because we dominated the ball, created chances, and scored goals.

“[On Everton] I hope that by performing to the best I can, it will keep repaying the support of the fans. Hopefully, we can be successful for the next few games after the international break.”

Can Jarrad Branthwaite earn a place in the England senior squad?

There is no doubting the fact that Jarrad Branthwaite’s presence in Everton’s defence has completely transformed it.

The centre-back has formed an excellent partnership with James Tarkowski and the pair have so far really impressed.

Branthwaite is in the top 10 for the most clearances made in the Premier League this season (51) and makes an impressive 5.1 per game for Everton.

His performances for Sean Dyche‘s side and also the U21 team surely don’t go unnoticed, and there’s no reason why he can’t begin to force his way into Gareth Southgate’s plans.

England have struggled in the centre-back position for a while and continue to rely on the unreliable Harry Maguire, whilst the likes of Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori continue to try and displace him.

Surely Southgate has Branthwaite in the back of his mind and we could see the 22-year-old making his senior debut in the next year or so.