By George Overhill

23rd May, 2023 | 4:40pm

Everton injury update: Nathan Patterson to miss Bournemouth game, Dominic Calvert-Lewin one of four doubtful

Everton have been dealt a “severe blow” in the build up to the crucial final day clash with Bournemouth with Nathan Patterson expected to miss the game, the Liverpool Echo reports.

The right-back suffered a hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw with Wolves on Saturday (20 May) to add to an injury crisis at the position, with Seamus Coleman and Ruben Vinagre both ruled out and Vitalii Mykolenko also a doubt.

The Ukranian may just be able to return for the last game of the season, with relegation in the balance, but possible stand-in Ben Godfrey is additionally described as “touch and go”.

Midfielder Tom Davies is also in a race against time to be available, but Sean Dyche’s biggest worry remains up front where Dominic Calvert-Lewin went off injured at Molineux and is subject to growing doubts that he will make it for the Cherries clash.

Everton are two points ahead of both Leeds United and Leicester but a defeat against Gary O’Neil’s men and a win from either of the two relegation rivals would see the Toffees fall at the last, so the mounting injury problems have come at the worst time.

Doing it the hard way

If Dyche had a fully fit squad to choose from and sailed through the match at Goodison without issue it would hardly feel like Everton after the struggles of the past two seasons.

The manager took to using centre-backs at full-back earlier in his reign to little success so the potential absence of all four senior options is a worry.

Godfrey hasn’t looked comfortable on either side, and Mason Holgate struggled badly when he was last played out of position there, so it may make more sense to operate with wing-backs in the form of Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi.

Both are naturally comfortable on the flanks and have shown admirable industry in tracking back to help their full-backs at times this season.

But if Calvert-Lewin is out there is already going to be a significant deficit in attack so pushing the two would-be wingers further back will add to that.

Dyche had been hailed recently for managing the striker’s recovery from the last set back to the point where he had started a run of games in succession, but the luck hasn’t quite held out far enough so it is going to be a nervous few days for fans waiting for news on the 26-year-old, as well as a host of his teammates.