It has been yet another tough season for Everton, who have faced plenty of turmoil and are fighting for their future in the Premier League.
They have also faced hardships off the pitch, getting a total of eight points deducted due to a breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. They were first docked ten points but appealed and managed to get it down to six, before being docked a further two at the start of April.
Despite their continued relegation battle, there has been one silver lining for Everton this season; the emergence of centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite. The 21-year-old has broken through into their first team this season and has since become a key player under Sean Dyche.
Despite Everton's defensive woes, he has been one of the better defenders in the Premier League this season. This has led to transfer rumours linking him to the likes of Manchester United, although his £85m value could be a stumbling block, according to TEAMtalk.
Branthwaite has played 35 games in all competitions, including 29 in the top flight, and has become an integral player for the Toffees. He is a superb defender, using his 6 foot 5 frame to his advantage aerially, averaging 2.69 aerial duels won per 90 minutes, placing him in the 79th percentile, as per Fbref.
He is quick and can cover lots of the ground easily, making him a good defender in wide areas. Branthwaite averages 5.56 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, which also ranks him in the 79th percentile.
Not only that, but Branthwaite is a superb box defender. The 21-year-old reads the game superbly, and averages 1.61 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, placing him in the top 9% of all centre-backs. Those are the kinds of crucial contributions that are vital for Everton this season.
Frustratingly for Dyche’s side, it remains to be seen if Branthwaite will be fully fit for their relegation six-pointer at home to Nottingham Forest this weekend, after he picked up an injury against Chelsea.
While the in-demand talent has resumed light training, there are a few other options at Dyche’s disposal to replace his main man at the back if needed…
1 The obvious option Michael Keane
With the injury to Branthwaite making things even tougher for Everton, Dyche could well turn to the experience of Michael Keane to sure things up at the back. The 31-year-old has not had many minutes for Everton this season, just 705 in all competitions to be specific.
When he replaced Branthwaite on Monday night at the 57-minute mark, it was Keane’s first appearance of 2024, with his last outing coming on the 30th of December during a 3-0 defeat away to Wolves.
However, despite a lack of game time so far this season, there is no doubting the plethora of experience that Keane will bring to the Everton side. Aside from his 211 Everton appearances, Keane also has 12 caps for England, most recently in November 2020.
He might not be the first choice at Goodison Park anymore, but Keane, who also played under Dyche at Burnley 108 times, could bring vital experience on Saturday. It could be exactly what Everton need in Branthwaite’s absence, as they look to get three crucial points against Forest this weekend.
2 The tactical tweak Amadou Onana
An alternative option Dyche has to replace Branthwaite on Sunday is Amadou Onana. Like Branthwaite’s form, the 22-year-old has been one of the only positives for the Toffees this season and has also been linked with a move away from Goodison Park. According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Onana is valued between £50m and £60m by Everton.
Playing as a centre-back would not necessarily be a foreign thing to Onana; he has already played there five times in his career, although has not done so for Everton. In his entire club career, he has only played there for 331 minutes, although 180 of those came for Hoffenheim under-19s.
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With that being said, it might be the correct way to go for Dyche. As a pure defender, Onana is more than capable. According to Fbref, he averages 3.89 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, which places him in the top 16%, and his 6.81 ball recoveries rank him in the top 20%.
Onana’s aerial duel numbers are wonderful. He has won 72.6% of aerial duels, which places him in the top 1%. The Belgian is an imposing figure, standing at 6 foot 4, and that certainly works in his favour should he slot in at centre-back this weekend.
On the ball, there are not too many qualms with Onana. He is a good progressive passer, and his 0.3 through balls per game, which rank him in the top 20%, could help Everton break the Forest press easier and get out from the back more efficiently.
There are certainly worse options Dyche could pick at centre-back than Onana. Given his experience playing there and the fact he is so good in the air works in his favour. It could well be a smart move for the Toffees on Sunday.
3 The wildcard option Reece Welch
The wildcard choice Dyche could make on Sunday is to pick exciting academy talent, Reece Welch. The 20-year-old has played twice for the first team already, although not since the 23rd of August 2022, and never in the Premier League.
Welch was described by The Athletic’s Everton correspondent Patrick Boyland as “composed” as far back as February 2022. He has been an exciting prospect for the Toffees for a number of years and has also shown good leadership qualities, having captained in academy football.
He spent the first half of the season on loan at Forest Green Rovers in League 2, where he played 23 times in all competitions before returning to Goodison Park. He has since played 90 minutes in eight games for Everton’s under-21s in the Premier League 2 after his return to the club.
Starting Welch would be a risk for Dyche, no doubt. However, he could give a chance to a youngster hoping to break into the first team, and potentially see him have an astronomical rise like Branthwaite has experienced.
Whichever option Dyche chooses, there will no doubt be a lot of pressure on the player, in one of Everton’s biggest games of the season. It is all to play for at Goodison on Sunday afternoon, with the winner pulling away from the relegation zone even more, and relieving pressure as the the business end of the season approaches.
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