Everton may be without Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson against Aston Villa, but there is an answer to the potential problem.
It’s a situation Everton could face for the second time in their fourth game of the season.
Despite having two recognized right-backs under contract, neither can be fit for the trip to Aston Villa on Saturday. Nathan Patterson was sidelined in April with a serious hamstring injury that required surgery. The 22-year-old has slowly returned to full fitness – but he may still not be ready. Although he could be included in the matchday squad, the chances of him being ready to start are slim.
And whether Seamus Coleman is available remains to be seen. The 35-year-old had to during the international break during Ireland’s 2-0 defeat against England. He returned to Merseyside for further assessment and missed Eire’s 2-0 defeat to Greece on Tuesday.
The situation is not ideal, with Sean Dyche’s side failing to pick up a single Premier League point in their opening three games. After the capitulation that led to a 3-2 defeat against Bournemouth, sections of the fans took some criticism of the Everton manager.
Not having Coleman or Patterson will be a blow. Everton were also without a pair in the 4-0 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur, while Ashley Young was suspended. As a result, Roman Dixon got a full debut.
Young could be the one Dyche turns to at Villa. Still, at 39, it will be difficult to play with a strong forward line that could include Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rodgers, Leon Bailey and John McGinn.
Some will be clamoring for Dixon to be given another chance as he performed as well as could be expected against Spurs. However, it may be unfair to the 19-year-old to be given another tall order against a team that will be competing in the upper echelons of the table.
But Dyche has a potential wildcard up his sleeve. James Garner is someone who has been on the right side of the defense his entire career. Notably, it was the role he was given for England Under-21s in their Euro 2023 triumph.
Under head coach Lee Carsley, who was recently promoted to interim manager of the senior team, Garner featured in all six of the Young Lions’ glory – without conceding a goal in the tournament. Garner had an advantage in this position over Ben Johnson, who played 29 times for West Ham during the preparations for the European Championship.
What’s more, in the final game of the 2022-23 season – a memorable 1-0 win against Bournemouth that secured Everton’s Premier League status – the Manchester United academy product operated at right-back. During his career at Goodison, he also played as a right midfielder several times.
Garner has proven to play for Dyche – so much so that he kept Amadou Onana out of a team that took 13 points in the last six games of last season. The 23-year-old was expected to once again be a regular partner for Idrissa Gana Gueye, but a hamstring injury ruled him out of the first two games. Tim Iroegbunam was instead deployed in the middle of the park and was arguably the Blues’ best player so far. It would be a surprise if Iroegbunam loses his place as he prepares to reunite with his former club following his £9m move to Everton in the summer.
And if Garner works in defence, Dyche will not be left short in the engine room. Abdoulaye Doucoure was on the bench against Bournemouth, while Orel Mangala is now available after signing on loan from Lyon on the final day of the summer transfer window.