Nathan Patterson has been warned he must “step up” if he wants to force his way back into Everton’s plan - while his Scotland hopes also hang in the balance ahead of Steve Clarke’s upcoming squad announcement.
The former Rangers full-back has endured a frustrating spell on Merseyside since making a £12million switch in January 2022, with persistent injury problems restricting his game time.
He has made just 11 appearances this season, the last of which came in early January - just before David Moyes returned to the Goodison Park dugout for his second stint in charge.
Despite right-back being his natural position, Patterson has found himself behind Republic of Ireland centre-back Jake O’Brien, who has been deployed out wide in his absence.
Moyes has now laid down the challenge to the 23-year-old to prove he belongs in the Everton first team.
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Speaking ahead of Everton’s trip to Wolves in the English Premier League on Saturday, the Toffees boss said: “I know he needs to step up, and I want him to step up. He’s Scottish as well, so we need all the players we can get.
“I’m hoping in the next month or two we can get the chance to work a bit closer with him.
“He has had a few injuries and has been out for the last 4-6 weeks, and you miss out on the training, the coaching, and the opportunities to be around the group. He needs to be looking to step up; he certainly does.”
The timing of Moyes’ comments could not be worse for Patterson, with Scotland boss Clarke set to name his squad next week for the upcoming UEFA Nations League play-off with Greece.
Patterson was once showing signs that he could become one of the first names on Clarke’s list, but with minimal senior action since the turn of the year, his chances of making the cut now appear slim.
