Chris Sutton feels Everton’s suspension of Jarrad Branthwaite will be a ‘blow’ at Burnley, but the BBC analyst still believes Sean Dyche will win on Saturday.
The Toffees play their first game without Branthwaite since August this weekend at Turf Moor. He has played an important role in Dyche’s team, starting each of Everton’s last 14 Premier League games. However, the defender has been shown his fifth yellow card of the season.
Everton defeated Chelsea 2-0 at Goodison Park last Sunday, and referee Michael Oliver issued a booking to Branthwaite. In the 59th minute, the official ruled that the 21-year-old fouled Armando Broja right outside of Jordan Pickford’s area. Branthwaite must now serve his one-game suspension.
Jarrad Branthwaite misses Sean Dyche’s Turf Moor return through suspension
In his previous nine league outings since the end of September, Branthwaite had only received one yellow card. However, three cautions in his first four appearances for England U21 this season put him on a tightrope. Those warnings have now come back to hurt them.
Dyche will have to change his preferred defensive pairing of Martin Brathwaite and James Tarkowski when he returns to Burnley for the first time since being sacked. The Clarets fired the Kettering-born coach in April 2022, after which they were demoted to the Championship.
Everton have edged Burnley since Dyche took over at Goodison Park in January. In November, he supervised a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over the Clarets at home. However, he will be working in the away dugout at Turf Moor for the first game since August 2011.
Chris Sutton issues his prediction for Burnley vs Everton
Former Celtic striker Sutton believes Branthwaite’s suspension will damage Everton at Burnley on Dyche’s return to Turf Moor.
However, the way the former Clarets manager has the Blues playing currently convinced the Hoops hero that the Toffees will still win 2-1.
“He is going back to his old club with an Everton team that has an identity and is playing well,” Sutton wrote in his BBC Sport column. The suspension of Jarrad Branthwaite is a setback, but I believe the Toffees will win four games in a row without him.”
Everton go to Burnley after victories over Nottingham Forest (1-0), Newcastle United (3-0), and Chelsea (2-0).
The Clarets have beaten Sheffield United 5-0 before losing 1-0 at Wolves and drawing 1-1 at Brighton in that same run. But Everton have not won at Burnley since 2018.
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