Everton were unlucky to lose to Manchester City yesterday, but once they fell behind, the dye had been cast.
They are accustomed to pushing ahead and maintaining leads, so it is not unexpected that their attempts to close losses are far less successful. particularly against the champions, who had waited seventy minutes for the breakthrough before giving up.
Erling Halaand, on the right foot, made no mistake when Jarrad Branthwaite’s feeble clearing dropped to him after a furious scramble in the area from Julian Alvarez’s corner.
Jordan Pickford had little chance, and the goal stood despite disagreement over the corner’s call.
Martin Keown, nevertheless, didn’t believe that this was the 21-year-old centre defender’s worst error. Rather, he tried to sketch out another
What Martin Keown said about Jarrad Branthwaite
The 57-year-old, who was once a center-back himself, is no stranger to defence, even though his skill set was developed during a time when opponents were more often bruised than gracefully dismissed.
In any case, his opinions are respected, and he did had a good four years at Goodison Park prior to moving to George Graham’s Arsenal, which proved to be financially advantageous.
Speaking on BBC Match of the Day last night, he would examine Branthwaite’s play in the face of such a formidable striker, concentrating on the second goal.
He suggested that the young titan got it all wrong against Erling Haaland. Keown claimed: ‘This is a young player that was playing exceptionally well Branthwaite, and for me, he just looks over the wrong shoulder for too long.
‘He’s looking at the ball, De Bruyne comes on, and we know he’s got to be red alert, danger all around you, Haaland’s quick, strong, and he’s making a really good run. His movement, I have to say, is excellent.
How did Jarrad Branthwaite play vs Manchester City?
Whilst both goals could be attributed to his actions, it would be harsh to solely lay the blame at his feet.
After all, the first goal showed a team that was hesitant to respond to turmoil, while the second goal ruthlessly exposed Branthwaite’s inexperience at the highest level. If the Premier League gives the £35k-per-week star another year or two, it is probably not going to happen again.
Despite being inexperienced and possibly hurried due to the tremendous pressure that City placed on teams, he was generally reliable the entire game, securing several crucial exchanges to frustrate the hosts.
Five clearances, four tackles, two blocks, and a 75% success rate in the duels he participated in are impressive stats that show how the game progressed, according to Sofascore.
He was ultimately the one to lose focus and undo his side, which made it nasty and unrelenting.
But without him, they would not have held out for so long. Hopefully, as Keown states, this will serve as a learning experience for the enormous defender who still has the entire world at his disposal.
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