Nathan Patterson has continued his recovery work into the close season as part of efforts to lay a foundation for a strong campaign.
The defender started last season in Everton’s first eleven and played well in the opening games and through Frank Lampard’s transition from playing with wing-backs to full-backs.
He provided a useful outlet down the right and was particularly impressive in the Merseyside derby at Goodison, which ended goalless.
Injury hampered his season, however, and he missed the final game of the campaign against Bournemouth through his latest setback - a hamstring issue. The 21-year-old has remained on Merseyside after the squad broke up for the summer in order to work on his recovery.
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Patterson, who has worked closely with club fitness specialists throughout his time on Merseyside, made 19 appearances in the Premier League last season. After a good start to the campaign he was stretchered off during Scotland’s UEFA Nations League match against Ukraine in September, missing a month through an ankle issue before returning to action from the bench in the goalless draw at Fulham. In January he then suffered knee ligament damage that would go on to rule him out of the opening weeks of Sean Dyche’s tenure. After seeing both Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate selected ahead of him as Dyche sought to cover an injury to club captain Seamus Coleman, Patterson returned for the 5-1 win at Brighton and Hove Albion - making an immediate impact as he won the ball on the halfway line in the opening seconds to launch the move for Everton’s early breakthrough.
Having cemented his place in Dyche’s first XI in the relegation run-in, he then suffered further misfortune as a hamstring problem saw him withdrawn during the first half at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the penultimate game. That issue ruled him out of the Bournemouth match and Scotland’s international fixtures over the past week.
But the determined full-back has not allowed the misfortune to prevent him from doing everything possible to come back stronger. Patterson has spent the close season as one of the few players at the Finch Farm training complex, working on his recovery. He is understood to be close to full fitness now but, after a short break, intends to then return to the training ground before the squad formally starts pre-season in order to further build on his work this summer.
Patterson’s commitment to his fitness has been clear throughout the start to his Everton career. Speaking to the ECHO during the club’s trip to Australia in November, he praised those who had helped him through his setbacks, explaining: “It’s mentally tough because it’s just you and you have to work on yourself but you’ve got the great support of the staff and your teammates as well. You come back in and everyone wants you to do well and everyone is working together to try and benefit the team. Whenever you come in, it is a great environment to come into.”
The former Rangers player is part of an informal gym club at Finch Farm with Dwight McNeil and Tom Davies and has been working with the sports science department to improve his condition. Speaking of his wider fitness efforts last month, he said: “When I first came I was between 74kg and 75kg and now I'm sitting around at 80kg. I’ve worked really hard in the gym and I made sure I spent the time I've been out injured wisely in that respect… The work is every day. You have to make the most of every day.”
