Seamus Coleman’s injury while on international duty may give Sean Dyche an advantage in the fight against relegation, as he could rely on his secret weapon, writes the LiverpoolWorld.
The 34-year-old Everton defender is currently with the Republic of Ireland team but did not feature in their 3-2 friendly win against Latvia two days ago. According to Patrick Boyland, Everton’s correspondent for The Athletic, Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has confirmed that Coleman has a “slight thigh strain” and is being evaluated by their medical staff.
Kenny has expressed his disappointment over Coleman’s absence, but he is confident that his team can still perform well without him. Coleman has been an essential player at right-back, playing in 17 league games this season, but his injury may pave the way for young Scottish defender Nathan Patterson’s return.
Despite recovering from an ankle injury and a lack of match fitness, Nathan Patterson has been featuring regularly for Everton’s youth sides in the last month. He is currently away with the Scottish national team for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Cyprus and Spain.
The 19-year-old has not yet played under Dyche, but having started 11 games in the league under Lampard and totalling over 1000 minutes of competitive action this season, he is likely to feature after the international break. This will provide Dyche with the option to rotate between the pair of Patterson and Coleman, keeping the latter fresh in the twilight of his career, while the former can add a new dynamic with his youthful energy.