Everton’s £16m ‘diamond’ could be the key to shackling Marcus Rashford v Man Utd

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Everton are back in Premier League action today, much to the delight of the fanbase, who will hand a nasty, volatile welcome to Manchester United.

Whilst the reception they are set to receive will be explosive, it is actually no insult to them as a club, but rather the recent occurrences surrounding the Toffees.

A mass protest is planned for the clash, in which the home support will vocalise their grievances towards the ten-point deduction they were administered last week.

With banners, flags, a plane and more, it promises to be one of the atmospheres of the season. The only hope is that the players can back up the raucous following they are expected to receive.

To keep the crowd onside, Sean Dyche must remain pragmatic in his tactics, ensuring that his players do not get overawed by the occasion. As such, the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford must be silenced, as the two most capable of magic.

Fortunately, in Nathan Patterson, they arguably have the perfect man to quell the wide man’s threat.

How good is Nathan Patterson?

Having endured a rocky start to life in Merseyside since his £16m move from Rangers, the 22-year-old full-back has been steadily adjusting to life in the Premier League whilst struggling behind Seamus Coleman and now Ashley Young.

However, today is not a day for either of those two ageing aces.

Whilst the former might have been trusted were he fully fit, his presence with the U21s makes Patterson the outstanding choice given the youthful physicality he boasts over the 38-year-old.

Not to mention that the defender, once branded a ‘diamond’ by pundit Danny Murphy, managed 2.6 tackles and 1.9 clearances per game last campaign in the league, via Sofascore.

His positional struggles and inexperience arguably make these figures even more impressive, which he will have surely cut out of his game after months with Dyche now.

The former Burnley man cannot hang Young out to dry against the tall and rapid Rashford, so the equally pacey Patterson marks the only real alternative.