Jarrad Branthwaite blames “loss of concentration” for Everton’s 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester United on Monday.
Benjamin Sesko came off the bench to score the only goal of the match, turning the match in Michael Carrick’s favor. The visitors took advantage of the Toffees deploying players high up the pitch and scoring on the counter-attack.
Speaking about the loss, Jarrad Branthwaite said: “I think we were the better team throughout the 90 minutes.
“A loss of concentration probably killed us on the counter-attack. It’s another home game where we didn’t get any points and we’re disappointed.”
Everton’s home record is quickly becoming a cause for concern. The Blues have not won at Hill Dickinson Stadium since early December and their winless streak now stands at six. They have only managed to win four of their 14 Premier League games at the waterfront venue and Branthwaite believes the Toffees are still adapting to their new home.
“It’s up to us as players to create an atmosphere,” he said. “The home form hasn’t been good enough. We know that. It’s about changing that.”
Asked why he thinks his side have struggled at home this season, the defender said: “I don’t know. I think it’s difficult when you’re so used to something in Goodison that creates the atmosphere.”
“I haven’t played much here this season, so it’s hard for me to say. But at Goodison we were pushed over the line by the fans and they created that for us. I thought the performance tonight was good and a step in the right direction, but in the end we still got points.”
“Maybe it’s not that easy here. It’s a bigger stadium, it’s different. It’s going to take a while to get used to it. I think you’ve seen that, but like I said, it’s up to us as players to change that. We know that, and hopefully we can do that.”
Branthwaite made only his third start this season against Manchester United. However, the tall central defender was deployed as a left back, ahead of Vitalii Mykolenko.
“The manager asked me to play there again, and I’m happy to be on the pitch, happy to play there,” said the 23-year-old when asked about the change.
“Obviously I would like to play at center back, but I think Keano (Michael Keane) and Tarky (James Tarkowski) have done well all season, so it’s the manager’s decision and I’m happy to play wherever he plays me.”
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Posted on 24/02/2026 at 13:50:35
If we had signed the full-backs we have needed for years in the summer window, we could use O’Brien and Branthwaite at centre-back.We didn’t do that… so we can’t do that.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 14:08:52
He should still start as a centre-back. It’s down to Moyes’ poor decision-making.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 14:35:10
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 16:04:11
I’d take £25m for Mykolenko any day, John! 😀
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 16:24:36
Last night was further proof that the modern game is all about speed and athleticism.And it’s the same problem at every home game, just like the match against Bournemouth. Like United, they were anonymous as a threat. Suddenly concentration breaks down and the game disappears.
The thing is, we never learn.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 17:28:08
Sorry Jarrad, nothing to do with the stadium, it’s the manager and his idiotic team selections and putting square pegs in round holes.Playing your best centre-back a mile away as a left-back was a catastrophic mistake, as were his other curious moves.
Will Moyes learn? No, he won’t. Even when O’Brien is back, he will be playing right-back and playing against Gueye, while it is clear to 49,000 fans that he looks twice his age, angry and downright insulting, while Röhl has not seen a minute since the game against Villa.
Alcaraz, when fully fit, hardly features, and is one to at least try to force the issue, think of Palace at home earlier this season. He is another who has been shamefully rejected. It’s a team game, so use the team instead of just playing your favorites.
Moyes no longer gets any praise from me, not even for the away form; That home record is terrible and it has nothing to do with the stadium, it’s the way we set it up.
Why don’t we get on the front foot from the start instead of sideways and backwards soul destroying football? Do I expect anything to change? Honestly… No, the man is too determined to change and too long in the tooth.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 18:56:29
Mykolenko is exposed because Keane is his closest defender. Put Branthwaite next to him and his confidence rises. Keane and Tarkowski are over and should be discarded… but not Moyes as they are his favourites.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 19:18:13
£100,000 a week for Davey for overseeing the non-existent tactics.One of the highest paid managers in the Premier League, I believe.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 19:18:57
‘It will take some getting used to’Jarrad boy, it looks like the away teams are taking us there straight away. Stop distracting, boy.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 19:48:46
John C @9: You know, I know, and anyone with a brain knows that that pay, if that’s the case, is disgusting.”It’s the market”
Oh Jaysus.
Great system, global economy!
Grrr, grrr, Grrr, et al.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 20:02:23
It’ll take some time to get used to the stadium, Jarrad? How long, buddy? The rest of this season? On to next season?In the meantime, we have our share of tripe every home game… Bollocks.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 20:37:30
There are many excuses for yesterday’s defeat, just like all the excuses for previous losses this season.Firstly, the squad is not strong enough and the manager has not changed his strategy since his first tenure at the club. He believes safety first is the way to go and has made Everton difficult to beat.
The problem, however, is that if the other team scores, you have to have a plan B and, without capable strikers, it is very difficult to get anything out of the match.
Starting without capable full-backs yesterday limited the attacking support that many decent full-backs contribute in the modern game. Man Utd have two natural full-backs who have always been a threat.
Garner was great in midfield and Brabthwaite at center back, but Jarrad struggled at left back in that first half.
Moyes somehow thinks better than most of us about Iroegbunam and Gana, who are very weak in that area.
Finally, and unfortunately, Barry doesn’t cut the mustard. I somewhat sympathize with the lad who rips out his tripe and plows a lonely furrow, but he’s not Premier League class.
Reminds me a bit of James Beattie who, due to lack of skill, was saddled with the same fate under Moyes (correct me if I’m wrong).
We can win one or two more games before the end of the season, but they are difficult in the modern game under Moyes.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 20:45:17
Moyes has not evolved as a manager since the first time he set foot in Goodison Park. Same tactics, same setup, same favorites. He is a dinosaur and blames everyone but himself. Gana is shot as a player, Tarkowaki is a dinosaur. Garner playing as a full-back… what’s wrong with Moyes? He is a brilliant midfielder.
Everyone except Moyes can see our best line-up. Words fail me…
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 20:54:10
A loss of concentration is common.But I don’t think it’s a loss of concentration when you have so many coaching staff on the bench, and none of them have decided to stand up and tell Michael Keane that he needs at least one other player to come alongside him again, as this is something our manager has said he expected to happen?
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 21:01:43
I’ve seen it twice now, Tony. Second time last night.Baines points something out to him and he looks lost.
Posted on 24/02/2026 at 21:20:36
It’s something that would have been unforgivable even for the dockers, in a big game John. They clearly thought a set piece was our best chance to score a goal, but from a defensive point of view they completely took their eyes off the ball.It obviously depends on the players on the field, but it doesn’t mean much for the coaches who were on our bench. None of them have thought to stand up and remind the players on the field that we should not expose ourselves defensively.
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Posted on 24/02/2026 at 13:26:29
Neither O’Brien nor Branthwaite are burned by Sesko as Tarkowski did… Patterson, O’Brien, Branthwaite and Aznou would be a much more modern looking back foursome. Tarkowski is just a bully and on top of that he is our captain!!!
He makes a fool of himself and bullies everyone, then he is the team leader and he is the only one who can speak to the referee on our behalf. What hope do we have that we will ever have referees on our side? They’re tired of his antics, just like us.