Everton’s 2022/2023 Premier League campaign kicks off in just over one week and the weight of last season’s relegation fight has at least been lifted for the foreseeable future.
The Toffees danced with death for much too long before putting together enough results to secure safety before the final day defeat at Arsenal. Understandably, the pressure that built towards the end of last season forced Frank Lampard’s hand in starting the players he knew he could rely on to fight.
Those decisions pushed two of Everton’s January signings onto the fringes of the first-team squad, with Dele Alli and Nathan Patterson sparingly used - or not used at all, in the Scot’s case. Lampard’s desperation for points at all costs encouraged him to go first for the experienced Seamus Coleman and then the tireless Alex Iwobi at right wing-back.
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Alli, meanwhile, only managed one league start - in the final day at Arsenal - and just 388 minutes, with fleeting substitute appearances failing to offer a fair chance to make an impact. His lacklustre displays in those short spells and propensity to lose possession in dangerous areas didn’t help.
Neither of the pair were trusted by Lampard to provide the steel and determination necessary to survive a relegation scrap, but that weight has now been lifted for the foreseeable future and the likes of Alli and Patterson now have a chance to start fresh and make their impressions.
Both have done exactly that in pre-season, with the former Spurs man scoring twice in Sunday’s 4-2 win over Blackpool. The second of those goals was assisted by Patterson, who also set up Vitalii Mykolenko for the opener.
The 20-year-old was outstanding at Bloomfield Road and will hope to rekindle the form that earned him his Premier League move from Rangers. And while he may not be an instant starter in the wing-back role - Iwobi has continued to impress - the Scot’s minutes will pick up throughout the first-half of the season and, should he take his chance, continue through the campaign.
Similarly, 26-year-old Alli will be desperate to replicate his Tottenham performances next season. Richarlison’s sale to Spurs has opened up a position within the forward line and Alli’s ability to drift inside and run off the striker can add balance, while his goals from a false-nine position on Sunday have added another string to the England international’s bow.
Lampard has competition for both Patterson and Alli at his disposal so it remains up to the players to earn their spots, but the relief of last season’s survival and a fast start to the new season could give both the platform to fully kick start their Everton careers.
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