“Everton’s Injury Woes: Branthwaite and Coleman Doubtful for Crucial Premier League Kickoff”
Jarrad Branthwaite is expected to miss Everton’s opening Premier League game. The center-back, who missed the team’s final pre-season match against Roma as he recovers from a minor groin surgery, is unlikely to be ready for next Saturday’s match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Sean Dyche, Everton’s manager, commented after the Roma game, which ended in a draw after Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalized Lorenzo Pellegrini’s first-half goal, that while Branthwaite is making progress, he still has some way to go before returning. He added, “He’s not ready yet and probably won’t be for next Saturday. He still has more work to do.”
Meanwhile, Michael Keane, who was seen sitting with Branthwaite at Goodison Park, is expected to return to training early next week after dealing with a minor issue. Dyche is optimistic that Keane will be available for the Brighton match, saying, “It was too risky to play him today, but we hope he can start training by Monday or Tuesday, which is a positive sign. We’re trying to get everyone fit as quickly as possible.”
Keane could potentially start alongside James Tarkowski, who was partnered with new signing Jake O’Brien in the Roma game. O’Brien has participated in all three recent friendlies, including the win against Preston North End and a behind-closed-doors victory over Motherwell, followed by the Roma match. However, Dyche remains cautious about the limited Premier League experience among his squad’s newer additions.
Dyche may also need to make a decision regarding club captain Seamus Coleman, who left the pitch midway through the first half with a calf injury. Dyche noted, “He’s tweaked his calf, but we’re not sure how serious it is yet. At the moment, it doesn’t seem too bad, but we’ll have to wait and see how it develops.”