Everton fans all say the same about Nathan Patterson after what he did in win vs Aston Villa

Everton got back to winning ways in impressive fashion with a 1-0 win away at high-flying Aston Villa on Sunday.

The Toffees climbed back into the top half of the Premier League table with their slender victory at Villa Park, notching their ninth clean sheet of the league campaign in the process.

Everton have been linked with Tammy Abraham in recent days, but it was Thierno Barry who proved his worth in front of goal on Sunday, as he netted the only goal of the game with a deft chip over Emiliano Martinez.

David Moyes has been forced into making several changes to his starting XI in recent weeks amid a severe injury crisis, and that has allowed players who had been on the fringes of the squad to come in and stake their claim.

Everton fans adamant that Nathan Patterson deserves to start

Football Insider recently revealed that Sevilla have joined the race to sign Nathan Patterson in the January transfer window, after his former club Rangers had also been sniffing around a potential move.

The 24-year-old has been linked with a move away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium, having started just two Premier League games all season.

The right-back slot has been a problem position for Everton all season, and they have been targeting a new addition there this month, in order to allow Jake O'Brien to move back into the centre of defence.

However, Patterson played a crucial role in his team's victory away at Aston Villa, and the quality of his performance hasn't gone unnoticed by the fans, who took to X after the game to share their delight at his display.

One fan labelled Patterson's importance as "encouraging," while many supporters were keen to stress that they want to see him start on a more regular basis.

Another also pointed out that a show of confidence from Moyes could hold the key to him continuing to improve moving forward.

• @LythyNo2: "He deserves a run in the team."
• @LeeRiches1: "He was very solid, and got forward and supported. Criminal to put O'Brien back there now."
• @JamesBrownEFC: "Very impressed with him today. Really hope we don't drop him for O'Brien to go back there vs Leeds."

Nathan Patterson's stunning stats vs Aston Villa

Everton have been lining up a solution at right-back, but they may have just found it from within in the form of Patterson.

The Scot was tipped to have a huge future ahead of him when he moved south from Rangers in 2022, and the Toffees are only just starting to see what he can truly do.

The full-back was part of an impressive defensive display from Moyes' men on Sunday afternoon, and he notched six clearances and five recoveries as part of the clean sheet, according to Fotmob.

Patterson also had an 85 per cent success rate across his seven duels, while also providing capable support for Dwight McNeil in the attacking areas.

It was a hugely impressive display from the youngster, and it may just be enough to tempt Moyes away from the market in that position between now and the end of the month.