The Toffees were able to capture a victory against Aston Villa away from home with a depleted squad, and Nathan Patterson delivered yet another decent performance.
The Scottish right back won three ground duels, three aerial duels, and didn’t commit a single foul, according to Fotmob. He was given a 7.5 rating for his efforts.
With Michael Keane out due a red card suspension and Jarrad Branthwaite still not ready to see the pitch, Patterson has had to step up and deliver multiple shifts on the right side in order to let Jake O’Brien play in a more central position. As a result, O’Brien delivered another outstanding performance as a center back, his natural position.
Nathan Patterson has struggled for minutes under David Moyes and has been the topic of several transfer discussions as Everton look to upgrade the right back position. However, his recent performances have been surprising to say the least, and more teams could be eyeing a move for him. Sevilla have been interested in Patterson for some time, and he’d be guaranteed more minutes there in the long run. Spanish football would suit Patterson’s playstyle a little better as an overlapping fullback.
If Patterson is let go, then signing a right back becomes mandatory this window. Everton’s only natural right back left aside from Patterson is Seamus Coleman, and he’s out injured. However, Patterson’s recent performances warrant a closer look as the Toffees return to full strength.
Other position groups have struggled with depth, and why should right back be an exception? If Patterson proves himself as a good backup option, selling him would change nothing depth-wise at the position.