'Nightmare' - National media send Man United Jarrad Branthwaite transfer message after Everton win

Jarrad Branthwaite was always likely to become one of the talking points when Manchester United welcomed Everton to Old Trafford this season.

After bidding as much as £50 million for the England international before eventually signing Matthijs de Ligt, United's summer transfer saga was brought up again before the match with Sean Dyche speaking about it during his pre-match press conference. With both players named in the starting line-up, it became an inevitable chance to compare them within the same game.

Unfortunately for Branthwaite, who has missed much of this season through injury, those comparisons were not particularly favourable. National media journalists at Old Trafford did not hold back, and here is a round-up of what they had to say.

'A game to forget'

BBC Sport's Shamoon Hafez wrote: "The hosts attempted to sign visiting defender Jarrad Branthwaite in the summer and it was a game to forget for the Everton defender, inadvertently contributing to United's first two goals. Rashford's low strike deflected in off the centre-back's outstretched boot for the opener, before Branthwaite dawdled on the ball allowing Amad Diallo to nip in and feed Bruno Fernandes, who laid it off for Zirkzee to convert."

'An early gift-wrapped present'

For the Daily Star, Dave Craven wrote: "Jarrad Branthwaite endured a nightmare spell to see United take control. First, he deflected Rashford's half-volley into his own goal in the 34th minute. Rashford, loitering on the edge of the penalty area, latched onto Bruno Fernandes' pinpoint floated corner sweetly and all the Everton defender could do was stick out a hopeful leg.

But Branthwaite - the subject of a £45m bid from the Red Devils in the summer - was fully to blame seven minutes later caught dallying on the ball. Amad pounced, pickpocketing the England centre-half for Fernandes to race clear and cross for Zirkzee to slide home. With advent calendars being opened everywhere on the first day of December, it is the start of the festive season - and Branthwaite sent an early gift-wrapped present to United.

'The best coaches improve players'

In the Guardian, Jamie Jackson wrote:

"As the truism goes, the best coaches improve players, and Zirkzee may become Exhibit A of the Portuguese's smarts if this performance is replicated weekly. The Dutchman's nascent United career had already been questioned yet the offering on Sunday showed a fine technician, brave in receiving the ball despite knowing an ankle chopping was always incoming."

'Made himself undroppable'

In the Mirror, David McDonnell said: "Marcus Rashford, with two goals here, has his confidence restored, Joshua Zirkzee, also with a double and an assist, finally looks like a United player, while Amad has made himself undroppable with his relentless work-rate and probing throughout, which yielded two assists."

'Old Trafford has not seen anything like this before'

For the Independent, Pete Hall wrote:

"Old Trafford has not seen anything like this before. Pressing from the front is nothing new to these shores – gegenpressing was even added to the Oxford Dictionary two years ago – but for the red half of Manchester, this very much new phenomenon is sweeping through Stretford like wildfire."

'Such an impact'

The Telegraph's Mike McGrath's wrote:

"Branthwaite was the subject of a rejected £50 million bid in the summer and United, after moving on to Matthijs de Ligt as a target, would never have envisaged the England centre-back having such an impact for them. He lost the ball that led to Zirkzee scoring his first goal."

'Grateful they never reached an agreement'

The Times' Charlotte Duncker and Ian Whittell wrote: "United had two bids rejected for the Everton centre half in the summer and based on his performance they will be grateful they never reached an agreement. If he was unlucky for the first then he was not for the second."