Branthwaite and Grealish missing as Everton head to Arsenal

Everton's trip to the Emirates Stadium has been overshadowed by fitness doubts, with Jarrad Branthwaite and Jack Grealish both unable to feature against Arsenal.

The Liverpool Echo explains why Christian Norgaard apologised to David Moyes after his Everton debut against Chelsea, with the manager also making a Jack Grealish admission around that same period (Liverpool Echo). Read Everton reports that Moyes was keeping Branthwaite's fitness under wraps in the build-up to the Arsenal match, while also giving an update suggesting Norgaard remains further away from full fitness than the club had hoped (Read Everton).

By matchday, the picture had become clearer. Sports Mole confirms the lineups for the Emirates clash, noting the calls made by Arsenal and Everton involving Viktor Gyokeres, Jack Grealish and Mikel Merino (Sports Mole). The Liverpool Echo then details the "double blow" for Everton before kick-off, confirming that both Jarrad Branthwaite and Jack Grealish were absent for the trip to north London (Liverpool Echo).

Taken together, the outlets chart the same story from different angles: Read Everton and the Liverpool Echo both flagged concerns over Branthwaite and Grealish in the days before the game (Read Everton) (Liverpool Echo), while Sports Mole's team news confirmation shows how those fitness doubts translated into the final lineups named at the Emirates (Sports Mole). The Norgaard subplot, meanwhile, runs through both Liverpool Echo pieces and the Read Everton report, with his post-debut apology to Moyes and his ongoing fitness struggles forming a notable side story to the bigger team news narrative heading into the Arsenal match (Liverpool Echo) (Read Everton).

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.