Everton v Chelsea: Phil McNulty reacts to what Sean Dyche did to Nathan Patterson in 6-0 loss
Nathan Patterson will not have welcomed being sent on by Sean Dyche with Everton in “shambles” at Chelsea, according to Phil McNulty.
The BBC Sport journalist reacted via Twitter on 15 April after the Toffees boss brought on the struggling right-back, claiming the Scot would have instead preferred being slapped on the head again by his manager after a controversial recent episode between the two at the Portuguese training camp during the international break.
A joke from Dyche backfired a month ago after he clipped the full-back round the head at dinner and sparked an awkward reaction, and having not given Patterson a minute of Premier League action since 30 January McNulty suggested an appearance off the bench for Seamus Coleman at the half-time with Everton 4-0 down amounted to worse treatment.
McNulty wrote: “Nathan Patterson coming on for Everton. He’d probably prefer another slap on the back of the head from Sean Dyche rather than being sent into this shambles.”
Nathan Patterson Everton misery continues after Sean Dyche slap
Dyche needed a reaction at the break having seen his Toffees collapsed during a first half where nobody played well.
He made a triple-change and brought Patterson in for the first time in 10 Premier League games, but very little improved as Everton conceded two more and lost 6-0.
The night actually got even worse for the former Rangers right-back as he appeared to pull his hamstring in the build up to Alfie Gilchrist’s late sixth and had to go off again to be replaced by Ben Godfrey.
Patterson absolutely needs more game time or he is going to struggle to find any form, but he might have questioned why Dyche was only prepared to turn to him at this stage after more than two months in the top flight.
Arguably the Toffees boss would also have faced questions on the subject had he left the Scotland international on the bench once more, so it was something of a no-win situation for him, although it equally was for Patterson coming on at that stage.
There was probably nothing much in the awkward slapping incident in Portugal, and there was potentially not a lot more in this substitute appearance, but fortune is absolutely not shining on Patterson, just as it isn’t on the club as a whole right now.
Whether well-meaning or not Dyche has arguably managed to make that individual situation worse in recent weeks, but after a 6-0 thrashing it is more of a foot note at a very difficult moment when the Goodison boss absolutely needs to find answers.
In other Everton news, Jamie Carragher slammed “AWOL” Farhad Moshiri before the game as takeover doubts linger on.
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