Former Everton player Trevor Steven has been impressed by Jarrad Branthwaite so far this season.
Everton fell to their fourth defeat of the Premier League season, with just five matches played, when Arsenal secured a 1-0 win at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Toffees defended valiantly for much of the match, but offered no attacking threat of their own, and were ultimately deservedly-beaten by the north London club.
Jarrad Branthwaite has been one of the few bright sparks for Everton so far this season. The 21-year-old centre-back has forced his way into Sean Dyche’s starting XI, having started the campaign behind Michael Keane in the pecking order.
Whilst results have gone against the Merseyside outfit, and there are plenty of problems that need to be solved, Branthwaite offers some hope for the future.
Trevor Steven certainly believes the England under-21 international deserves some credit for how he has performed in recent weeks. Speaking on TalkSport during the game against Arsenal, he said, “he’s impressed me Branthwaite, he has certainly learnt a lot on loan. He’s got a lot of game minutes under his belt now and going to PSV was a great move for him. He has impressed me in the early stages of the season.”
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Branthwaite showing up Everton teammates
Branthwaite certainly developed significantly as a player during his loan spell with PSV Eindhoven last season. He made 27 Eredivisie appearances over the course of the campaign, and has returned to Everton a far more mature player.
The Toffees could find that they struggle to keep the £15,000-a-week ace at the club. As reported by the Daily Mail, Manchester United were interested in signing the youngster during the recent summer transfer window. Everton will certainly find it tough to retain his services if they succumb to relegation from the Premier League this season.
Branthwaite’s current form is a damning indictment on many of his Everton teammates. The fact that experienced figures such as Keane, Idrissa Gueye, and Ashley Young, amongst others, haven’t been able to match his performance levels explains why the club currently find themselves in such dire circumstances.