Nathan Patterson has lifted the lid on the key differences between playing for Rangers and playing in the English Premier League.
The Scotland star's meteoric rise saw him courted by Everton in the January transfer window with a big-money move sealed away from his boyhood club in Rangers. Patterson's development at Ibrox from academy to first-team was a point of pride for the youngster and the Ibrox club, but the kid was unable to unseat captain James Tavernier as a regular fixture in the Rangers starting eleven.
Patterson found it tough initially at Goodison, playing just 45 minutes of action in his first season on Merseyside before impressing Frank Lampard and being selected in a highly-competitive role alongside club captain Seamus Coleman. While the defender has continued to impress for Steve Clarke's side, he feels the league down south offers higher-quality opposition for him to pit his wits against.
He told the Sunday Mail: "The Premier League is a different level, even from playing at Rangers. There's at least 50,000 in the different stadiums every week so it's great to have that pressure on you.
"Playing against top players every week is only going to benefit me. It's brilliant because at a young age I'm getting to challenge myself on a regular basis. What a league this is. The best I've played against so far is probably Diaz in the Liverpool game at Goodison. That was a proper test and I felt I did well. But honestly, everyone down here is top quality. In pre-season I played against Martinelli of Arsenal and he was so sharp. Everyone is sharp in this league!
"They're all athletes. That's one of the big differences from the Scottish Premiership. I think it's more to do with what players do off the field down here. They're maybe a bit more dedicated. It's just a different league and to be part of it now is unbelievable. I'm in the gym more now, just to try to keep up.
"I work with the Everton sports scientists on what I need to improve. We are getting closer to where I want to be. I definitely feel I've improved even since leaving Rangers and I've matured as well living on my own down here.
"My family come down for home games but it has helped a lot that I have to do everything for myself. It has given me more ownership and independence, as opposed to relying on other people in Glasgow."
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