Why Nathan Patterson was left out of Everton’s squad against Tottenham Hotspur

Nathan Patterson was left out of Everton’s squad in the 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur for selection reasons.

The right-back suffered a medial ligament injury in a 4-1 loss to Brighton at the start of the year. However, Patterson has made three appearances for the Toffees’ under-21s, while he made two substitute outings for Scotland during the international break.

However, he was not on the bench for the clash against Spurs at Goodison Park. Seamus Coleman started on the right-hand side of the back four while defenders Conor Coady, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate and Vitalii Mykolenko were among the substitutes.

It was centre-back Michael Keane’s 90th-minute thunderbolt that earned Everton a point to move out of the Premier League relegation zone as he cancelled out Harry Kane’s penalty.

Asked why Patterson wasn’t in the squad after the game, an upbeat Dyche quipped: “There are only so many [players] you can put in a second, you know. I don't know if you have noticed!”

Patterson joined Everton from Rangers in January 2022 for a fee that could reach £16 million. This season, he has made 15 appearances for the Blues.