Nathan Patterson has suffered an injury blow just as the former Rangers right-back was starting to get going at Everton.
The 20-year-old has been an ever-present for the Toffees in the early part of this Premier League season and had hoped to carry that on into international territory. But that has been brought to a premature end against Ukraine in Nations League action at Hampden, substituted with a problem and replaced by Brentford full-back Aaron Hickey.
He was taken off on a stretcher after initially trying to continue and it's a major blow for the Rangers academy prodcut and Everton, who's first six months at Goodison Park following a January move to Merseyside were hampered by injury. National team boss Steve Clarke spoke pre-match of his delight in seeing Patterson playing regularly for the first time.
He said: "He did not sulk, he did not lose faith in himself. He kept running away, working away. Even when he was at Rangers he was probably playing as many times for Scotland as he was for Rangers at that particular time because of the situation he found himself in with James Tavernier, the Rangers captain.
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"He found it difficult there. He just kept his head down, worked hard, did great for Scotland and now he is doing very well for Everton as well. Hopefully that will continue.
"A lot of it comes down to confidence. He’s had a chance to play - the chance to show what he’s about."
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