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Everton gem Jarrad Branthwaite suffers during loss, gets 5/10 for ‘unforgivable’ display

Lee Clarke

Thu 25 February 2021 9:15, UK

Everton youngster Jarrad Branthwaite joined Blackburn Rovers during January and has been enjoying regular first-team football.

Last night, however, he endured a torrid time in a 3-2 defeat to high-flying Watford at Ewood Park.

The 18-year-old was at fault for Watford’s first goal as Rovers slipped to a fifth straight defeat at the hands of a good Hornets team.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti will be delighted to see him playing regularly but he will have been pulling his hair out at his defending last night.

The central defender signed for the Toffees for from Carlisle United in January 2020 and has made five Everton appearances.

Branthwaite has a lot to learn if he is to become a first-team regular at Goodison Park – but time is on his side.

After last night’s game, he was handed a 5/10 rating by Lancashire Live for his performance.

The player ratings piece claimed: “Started the contest assertively but his decision to stop playing in the process leading to the first goal was unforgivable. Then it deteriorated from there.”

TBR View: The future is bright for Branthwaite but he must learn quickly

Tony Mowbray has used the Premier League loan market well and Branthwaite was one of many eye-catching additions.

Branthwaite’s spell so far hasn’t quite gone according to plan but there have been some flashes of his quality.

At 18 he still has a lot to learn and on current form, it’s easy to see why Ancelotti felt that a loan was the best practice.

The uncompromising defender is still learning his trade and with that in mind, there’s no real need for Everton to panic just yet.

As a teenager, he still has time on his side and the challenge for Branthwaite is to learn from his mistakes and use them to make him a better player.