Everton manager David Moyes has suggested he is willing to give Nathan Patterson a chance if he can prove his fitness<\/p>\n
14:58, 04 Dec 2025Updated 15:59, 04 Dec 2025<\/p>\n
David Moyes is willing to give Nathan Patterson an opportunity if the full-back can prove his fitness. The Scotland international was named on the bench for Everton\u2019s win at Bournemouth on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
It was his first involvement in a senior matchday squad since the home victory over Crystal Palace at the start of October.<\/p>\n
The defender has suffered a torrid time with injuries since his move to Merseyside and his latest absence, following surgery on a groin issue, came after his pre-season was disrupted<\/a> over different fitness concerns.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Request made to Everton supporters as stunning first set to be beamed around world<\/a>READ MORE: Vitalli Mykolenko makes huge claim about Everton team-mate who’s left him stunned<\/a><\/p>\n Those injuries have held Nathan Patterson<\/a> back from making a sustained argument to become Everton<\/a>\u2019s first=choice right back. His only consistent run in the first team came under Frank Lampard<\/a> and that spell, like has so often been the case for him when he has broken into the starting XI, ended with injury.<\/p>\n Against the backdrop of those knocks previous manager Sean Dyche<\/a> and current boss Moyes<\/a> have both looked elsewhere within the squad to try and address the club\u2019s longstanding struggle at right back as Seamus Coleman<\/a> has fought his own injury issues through the later years of his career.<\/p>\n That has included moving players out of position to fill the spot – at times even when Patterson was fit – with the likes of Ben Godfrey, Ashley Young and James Garner<\/a> utilised.<\/p>\n Moyes has placed his faith in centre back Jake O\u2019Brien<\/a> for most of the 11 months of his second stint in charge of the Blues.<\/p>\n With injuries throughout the squad, however, O\u2019Brien and Garner may be needed elsewhere – potentially opening up a route to the first team for Patterson as Moyes looks to stretch a thin squad that is dealing with injuries to Michael Keane<\/a>, Merlin Rohl<\/a>, Jarrad Branthwaite<\/a> and Coleman.<\/p>\n Idrissa Gueye<\/a>, who is currently suspended, will travel with Iliman Ndiaye<\/a> to represent Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations on December 15, leaving Moyes with more selection issues.<\/p>\n