Michael Kenrick 21/04/2026 11comments  |  Jump to last

(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

The Daily Mail is claiming that Jarrad Branthwaite’s season is over and his World Cup hopes have been dashed after a scan revealed the extent of his hamstring injury.

Everton's brilliant young defender was shoved off the field and fell awkwardly onto the pitchside track in yet another blatant foul by a Liverpool player that of course went unpunished near the end of normal time in Sunday's derby game.  

Perhaps he tried to recover his position too quickly and with too much effort to get back on the pitch but it was obvious when he grasped his thigh and grimaced in pain that the worst possible scenario was indeed playing out before 49,000 Evertonians inside the Hill Dickinson Stadium. After a long delay for assessment on the pitch, the clearly distraught Branthwaite was stretched off before the game resumed. 

It is claimed that the problem is not as bad as first feared, but it seems certain that Branthwaite is facing at least 2 months on the sidelines with the hope that he will have recovered sufficiently to play a full part in pre-season training from July onwards.

Branthwaite missed the first half of the season because of a long-running  hamstring issue and underwent surgery in October. The new injury is in the same leg but not thought to be in exactly the same area, providing hope that he will not need another 5 or 6 months on the sidelines. 
 
It is a huge blow for Everton and must mean that any hopes of Europe are even fainter now than they were at the weekend when Blues looked forward with huge anticipation to a rare opportunity for victory in the first Merseyside derby to be staged at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
 
But it's an even bigger personal blow for the young defender who had been doing very well through a carefully managed recovery and match-play programme following that last surgery, putting paid to any lingering hopes that he could perhaps catch the eye of Thomas Tuchel before the final England squad is named for this summer's World Cup Finals in North America.   
 
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Reader Comments (11)

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Paul Hewitt
1 Posted 21/04/2026 at 15:27:50
2 months. Not ideal but better than it could have been. Need him ready for the start of next season.
Kevin Molloy
2 Posted 21/04/2026 at 15:34:18
2 months? I'll snap their hands off if it's just two months.
Paul Hewitt
3 Posted 21/04/2026 at 15:41:34
The medical team need to sort this problem for Branthwaite out.

It can't keep happening.

Shaun Parker
4 Posted 21/04/2026 at 15:45:41
2 months is better than I expected. I thought we were going to see another 6 months.

Would anyone take John Stones on a free this summer? I think he's still a good player and only 31.

Ian Bennett
5 Posted 21/04/2026 at 15:49:26
The problem with this type of injury is it just keeps recurring due to the scar tissue. It will always be a weakness in all probability.

He might be done as a 90-minute player.

Paul Hewitt
6 Posted 21/04/2026 at 15:52:20
I'm sure when footballers drank, smoked fags, and ate crap, they didn't get injured as much as modern footballers.
Darren Hind
7 Posted 21/04/2026 at 16:03:04
It's getting toward the end of April.

If he's out for two months... he's out for four.

John Collins
8 Posted 21/04/2026 at 16:07:42
A good rest, followed by the best specialist in Europe to get him right.

£100 million player if he stays fit.

Got the lot.

Les Callan
9 Posted 21/04/2026 at 16:38:17
Les Callan
10 Posted 21/04/2026 at 16:39:36
Reminds me of Ian Snodin this.
Martin Reppion
11 Posted 21/04/2026 at 16:48:09
You must be around my age Les.

Snods was never the same as this sort of injury can cost you a little pace.

It is worrying to know how we plan not knowing who will be fit.

However, what matters most is a strong last 5 games. If we can finish strongly we will be a more attractive proposition for our target players.

Talking of Snods. How long is it since a player of that pedigree was given a straight choice of signing for us or the anti-christ and chose blue?

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