Jarrad Branthwaite proved why Liverpool staff are absolutely right about him with ‘excellent’ Merseyside Derby display

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Liverpool won’t have many positives to take away from their 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.

Arne Slot’s red card means assistant coach Johnny Heitinga will likely take charge of Liverpool against Wolves this weekend.

Curtis Jones meanwhile, will also be unavailable at Molineux following his altercation with Abdoulaye Doucoure after the full-time whistle.

With that all being said, there are in fact some small positives for the Reds to consider – one of those being the performance of transfer target Jarrad Branthwaite.

• READ MORE: Mohamed Salah broke yet another Premier League record during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against Everton

Jarrad Branthwaite’s performance shows why Liverpool are interested

It may seem weird for Liverpool fans to praise an Everton player’s performance after a derby – but in Branthwaite’s case, there’s a reason why.

That is because staff within Liverpool believe Branthwaite could be the perfect signing, having monitored his services for some time now.

The Reds wanted to sign Branthwaite in 2024 but were put off by Everton’s lofty price tag at the time. The 22-year-old’s derby display, however, may encourage Slot’s side to reignite that interest this summer.

Liverpool’s interest in David Hancko, suggests they are still interested in signing a left-sided defender – so who better to sign than the man who just provided an ‘outstanding’ performance in the derby?

Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand laud ‘excellent’ Branthwaite display

Whether it be headers, tackles, blocks or clearances, the Englishman was a key part of Everton’s success against Liverpool – something both Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand were keen to highlight on commentary.

Speaking on TNT Sports, Ferdinand said: “I was thinking the exact same thing. Very clean off his left foot. Hasn’t really given much away today, broke the lines on a number of occasions with some real crisp, nice passes.

Co-commentator Ally McCoist also added: “I think Branthwaite has been excellent. I’ve got to say Rio, he must have done a hundred headers. He’s been great, defended well.”

The Reds will recognise that Branthwaite is one of the best defensive options in the market, whether they can persuade the Toffees to lower their price tag, is another question entirely though.