Everton man to be sidelined by foot and hernia issues
Luckless Scotland defender Nathan Patterson is set to miss out on his country’s final two World Cup qualifiers after going under the knife once more.
Capped 23 times by Scotland, Patterson made his return to the international set-up during the summer friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein after more than a year away due to thigh and hamstring issues.
The Everton right-back missed the European Championships last year after having an operation to fix a tear in his thigh and had hoped for a clean slate this season after the past 12 months were made stop-start by fitness issues.
Everton and Scotland defender Nathan Patterson has been sidelined once again.placeholder image
Everton and Scotland defender Nathan Patterson has been sidelined once again. | Getty Images
However, the 24-year-old - who joined the Toffees for a fee in the region of £11 million from Rangers in January 2022 - is likely to be sidelined until the middle of November due to issues in his foot and groin.
Ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match at home to Tottenham Hotspur, Everton manager David Moyes has revealed that Patterson has a plantar fascia tear and that the defender will use the time out to have surgery to fix “a little issue” with his hernia.
“Patto has plantar fascia tear in his foot which he picked up in an under-21 game against Bradford,” said Moyes. “It is probably going to keep him out for a couple of weeks. He’s also had a little issue with his hernia so we are going to get it tidied up while he’s out with his planta fascia.”
Patterson set to miss Scotland matches
Patterson has not been involved in any of Scotland’s World Cup qualifying campaign thus far and will struggle to be available for the final two matches away to Greece on November 15 and at home to Denmark on November 18.
The Scots currently sit second in Group C, behind the Danes on goal difference. They are guaranteed at least a play-off place for next summer’s tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico and will qualify automatically should they get a positive result in Piraeus and then defeat the Danes at Hampden three days later.
Patterson has slipped down the pecking order as Scotland’s first-choice right-back. Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Anthony Ralston (Celtic) and Max Johnston (Derby County) were selected for the last international camp, with Hibs’ Josh Mulligan called up for the first time after Hickey suffered an injury. Bristol City’s Ross McCrorie is also in contention.
Nathan Patterson has been capped 23 times by Scotland.placeholder image
Nathan Patterson has been capped 23 times by Scotland. | Getty Images
The latest injuries are another blow for Patterson, who has been unable to nail down a regular starting spot under first Sean Dyche and now Moyes at Everton. Patterson played the full 90 minutes against Bradford Under-21s on October 14 in the Vertu Trophy, where he picked up his foot issue.
Speaking back in June, Scotland head coach Steve Clarke expressed home that Patterson could maintain his fitness and push for a place in the Everton team.
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“He's had a tough time,” Clarke said of Patterson. “We've been talking about it since he got his injury before the last Euros. It's been over a year since Nathan was in a Scotland squad. I've always been in touch with him. It hasn't gone smoothly for him at Everton. He'd be the first to agree with that.
“He hasn't had enough game-time, but recently towards the end of the season, he got a couple of games, which was nice to see. He did okay. He knows he has to play regularly next season to be involved going forward. He knows he has to play more regularly next season to develop his career and to become better. But it's nice to have Nathan back in the squad.”