Everton eye Jarrad Branthwaite return in triple fitness boost with big calls in two other areas
Everton have a fortnight’s gap between their fixtures against Newcastle United and Ipswich Town because of the international break. But manager Sean Dyche could receive a triple defensive boost by the time his side go to Portman Road on October 19.
The Blues had to change half of their back four against the Magpies as Jarrad Branthwaite, who had made a triumphant return in the 2-1 comeback win over Crystal Palace, in his first outing this term, was ruled out through injury alongside Vitalii Mykolenko.
Branthwaite did train at Finch Farm last week but was ruled out for Newcastle’s visit with a thigh complaint. Left-back Mykolenko suffered a calf issue which the club hopes is only a minor problem, although both Michael Keane and Ashley Young played well in their absence.
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On Branthwaite, Dyche said: “We’re hopeful that he will be back for the next one, we’ll just have to wait and see,” while when it came to the Ukraine international, he added: “We will wait and see, they have jurisdiction, so they might want to see him, I don’t know yet, because when they have jurisdiction we can't keep him here. If they want to see him they can see him.”
Their potential returns in Suffolk to play Kieran McKenna’s newly-promoted side could also coincide with Everton having an orthodox right-back to choose from after midfielder James Garner was deployed in that role against Eddie Howe’s men.
Seamus Coleman is fighting to overcome a calf issue and Nathan Patterson, who had hamstring surgery at the end of last season, has now played three matches for the Under-21s, including two in five days this week.
If either of those two return, Garner could come into contention back in his usual central midfield role, an area of the pitch which is already looking congested in terms of options.
Orel Mangala and Abdoulaye Doucoure are the incumbent starting pair in the engine room but both Idrissa Gueye and Tim Iroegbunam came off the bench in the stalemate against Newcastle.
On the right wing, Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom have both been vying for a starting berth with the former getting the nod last time out while up front Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been leading the line ahead of Beto who goes away on international duty with Guinea-Bissau for the first time.
The Lisbon-born striker was part of the 55-man provisional squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but after failing to win a cap for Portugal, he has now pledged his allegiance to the west African nation coached by Marco Silva’s former Everton assistant manager Luis Boa Morte.