Everton: Nathan Patterson set miss Euro 2024 after ‘horror’ mishap without Sean Dyche reversal
Nathan Patterson is in line to miss the Euros with Scotland if he doesn’t start playing for Everton, according to Tom English.
BBC Scotland’s chief sportswriter wrote for the broadcaster’s website on 27 March that after the Toffees full-back had been left in “horror” when his error was punished by Liverpool’s Conor Bradley for the only goal of the game in the 1-0 victory for Northern Ireland there is a “significant issue” on the right of Steve Clarke’s defence.
With Patterson having not played for Sean Dyche since a late appearance off the bench against Fulham on 30 January and looking out of match practice for his country he is now tipped to be left out altogether this summer.
English wrote: “There is a significant issue on the right-hand side of the defence, where Nathan Patterson roamed in the absence of the injury-plagued [Aaron] Hickey.
“The last football Patterson has played for Everton were the nine minutes against Fulham at the end of January. Patterson looked precisely what he is – a rusty player lacking confidence.
“He was responsible for the goal. A jumpy attempt to find Billy Gilmour, which was all risk and no reward. He turned away in horror when Bradley, with the help of a slight deflection, found the top corner.
“If Patterson doesn’t play much from now until the end of the season, he can’t be an option for Scotland in Germany, surely. But who is?”
Sean Dyche unimpressed with Everton full-back?
It is difficult to see Patterson forcing his way into the Toffees line-up any time soon barring a series of injuries ahead of him.
Dyche clearly doesn’t think he is of much use when he has decided to use Ben Godfrey on the right for some weeks despite the natural centre-back offering less going forward at a time when Everton have been struggling badly to score goals.
Former Rangers man Patterson has not been in great form on Merseyside when he has had an opportunity this term but his confidence is bound to be low when his manager doesn’t believe he is up to it.
Dyche indicated that the 22-year-old still had a way to go to even call himself a “bona fide” Premier League player just over a year ago [Daily Record, 23 April], which is either quite a harsh assessment or makes Rafa Benitez’s decision to send up to £16million to Ibrox for him a season earlier [Sky Sports] absolutely reckless.
And if the manager was hoping to generate some renewed confidence in the youngster he probably didn’t help by slapping him on the head in Portugal in front of everyone, even if it was a small incident.
Patterson hasn’t looked too bad at times through his Everton career but it may be that he and Dyche simply don’t fit together.
And if he does miss out on a place in Germany this summer it might convince him he is better off elsewhere.
In other Everton news, another full-back has just left to sign for another Premier League club.
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