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Everton boss Sean Dyche has insisted that having Jarrad Branthwaite in the side gives the Toffees balance, which he believes is a helpful factor for the entire team.
Branthwaite has clocked the full 90 minutes in just two of the eleven games the Merseyside team have played so far this season, missing a chunk of action through injury.
However, Dyche’s team have won one and drawn one of those two games – highlighting the influence of the player in the team.
According to Dyche, Branthwaite being a left-side centre-back adds balance to the team which proves to be helpful for the entire side.
On what the young defender adds to his team, Dyche said at a press conference: “The obvious one is balance.
“He is a left-sided centre-half and there are not many around. Certainly not many of the standard that he is.
“That is the most obvious outstanding quality. There are many others of course, his size, his physicality but it is nice to get that left and right balance.
“And I think that is a helpful factor not just to him but for the whole group, to have that balance is a helpful thing.
“I don’t think the stats are just down to him by the way but I think he has proved to be an important part during my time here.”
Branthwaite had been linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer, but the Toffees stood firm, rejecting two offers from the Red Devils.
Not even financial issues off the pitch forced Everton’s hand.
