Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been named in Garth Crookes’ Team of the Week following his performance in Saturday’s draw at Sheffield United.
The Toffees returned from Bramall Lane with a point after the 2-2 draw but could’ve returned to Merseyside empty handed were it not for Pickford’s magnificent heroics at the death.
The £30m keeper pulled of an early contender for save of the season tipping Oli McBurnie’s header onto the bar in the 98th minute, before saving the rebounded effort with Southall-like reflexes.
Pickford’s display earned him a spot in Garth Crookes’ Team of the Week on BBC Sport, with the pundit insisting that the 30-year-old’s performance ‘saved’ the Blues.
Crookes said: “I think the embrace between Everton keeper Pickford and Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie at the end of this extraordinary match said it all.
If Everton are going to survive this season then they can’t afford to concede two goals, especially when they score two away from home.
Their problem hasn’t been so much their poor finishing but their diabolical defending. They haven’t been capable of keeping one clean sheet in four Premier League outings and it was Pickford’s exploits that saved them on this occasion.”
Jordan Pickford once again shows his importance to Everton and their PL points tally
Jordan Pickford’s capacity for saving the seemingly unsavable has given Everton yet another lifeline, with his performances over the past two years keeping the Toffees in the top-flight.
His memorable save in the 1-0 win over Chelsea during the 2021/22 campaign was a season-defining moment, as was his penalty save at Leicester City last season.
Commenting on his performance with the Everton website, Pickford said: “I’ve got to be concentrating for 100 minutes, that’s my job, to pull off saves and help the team when called upon.”