Everton were mere minutes away from claiming their first Premier League victory of 2024, but were pegged back at the death by Brighton and Hove Albion.
It was a desperately cruel turn of events, which saw a stellar opportunity to take a huge step away from the relegation zone squandered.
And what makes things much worse is the fact that the late goal was scored via a hopeful ball in the box and a towering header by the hosts’ centre-back; a technique which Sean Dyche has employed often this season.
Lewis Dunk’s 95th-minute equaliser cancelled out Jarrad Branthwaite’s earlier stunner, who had lasered home the opener.
However, he was left frustrated by one thing his side did which welcomed pressure…
What Jarrad Branthwaite said about Everton
1-0 up on the road and facing the ten-men Seagulls who had been largely nullified all game, it seemed like the Toffees were destined for all three points.
So, to let two of them slip away at the death marked a killer blow for a side still searching for another league win given the last one came back in mid-December.
The fact that they boasted a man advantage too, for the first time in what felt like forever, only added to the frustration, as they could not make their numerical advantage pay.
Speaking after the game to BBC Sport, Branthwaite was left discontent by their reaction to that red card: ‘We put in a solid performance. We went 1-0 up and then they went down to 10 men. Then we sat back and invited pressure – them scoring at the end is frustrating.
‘They are a good team, with 10 men they could keep the ball. We pressed all game, then they went down to 10 men and we stopped pressing – I don’t know what happened’.
How well did Jarrad Branthwaite play vs Brighton?
Boasting a 7.9 Sofascore rating, the second-highest of any Everton player, it was not just his fine finish which merited such a stunning figure.
After all, he would blend such offensive prowess with seven clearances, three blocks, one interception and one tackle, whilst also winning four of the six duels he competed in, via Sofascore.
Not only that, but his 85% pass accuracy was a dramatic improvement on his Premier League average of 80%, made even more impressive given the high-pressing opposition he faced.
Raising his game to new levels against a truly top outfit, Branthwaite was desperately unlucky not to be on the winning side.
However, he just continues to prove his quality to the rest of the world, with his reported £100m price tag not looking all that lofty anymore…
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