International breaks mark the perfect time to take a look at where a given team currently sits, injury/fitness wise. And Everton FC are certainly sitting pretty in this regard. David Moyes’ side went into the November internationals with no new fitness concerns, just the two standing injury absentees Jarrad Branthwaite (thigh) and Nathan Patterson (groin).
The former is going to be out for some time yet while the latter could return soon. Other than that, they are a fully fit side. Despite the good fortune with fitness, Everton still sit 13th in the table. However, the standings are extremely congested, and they’re only three points from the top five.
Here is the most recent update from Moyes, on both players
Jarrad Branthwaite
“We had him back in training,” Moyes said way back on Oct. 24. “We expected him to be very close for Man City, but it just didn’t feel quite right, so we got it checked and got some work done on it. We wouldn’t put a timescale on it – we’ll give him a chance to heal and take his time.”
Branthwaite will be brought along slowly, and eased back into the team. Maybe a late December return on the optimistic end, but more realistically, perhaps mid-to-late January.
Nathan Patterson
Moyes articulated on Halloween: “has had a small procedure on his groin, so he’s obviously not available for this game.”
Maybe he might be in contention for the next match? Or perhaps the very next one after that? Let’s see next Friday.
Team Injury Update Series: November 2025 Intl Break
Real Madrid Liverpool Manchester City Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur Part 1
Tottenham Part 2 West Ham Liverpool FC FC Barcelona Aston Villa Newcastle United 1 Newcastle United 2 Everton
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post