View: Pickford could wave goodbye to Everton No 1 spot if Olsen impresses
Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday that Jordan Pickford will miss Wednesday’s game against Leeds with Robin Olsen set to start in the Everton net.
This follows two howlers in two games as Pickford was directly responsible for goals against Newcastle and Leicester.
There was a school of thought that England’s number one may be dropped for the Newcastle game after his Leicester mistake but Ancelotti stuck with Pickford.
While he did make a good first-half save, he gifted Callum Wilson a second goal and he should’ve been dropped for the Leeds game if he was fit.
He looks to be in line for a return against Manchester United at the weekend however.
Ancelotti is quoted by Click Liverpool as saying, “He will not be available for the game [v Leeds] but I hope that for Saturday he will be available.”
This suggests that no matter what happens, Pickford will be back in net against the Red Devils.
If Olsen has a great game against Leeds, something he is very capable of doing, then he would surely retain his place in goal.
This would be very bad news for Pickford as if Olsen shows that he is a capable starting goalkeeper then the England international’s time on Merseyside could be up.
He has made so many mistakes this season and some of them have been game costing errors.
If we are to challenge for the top four and push on in the domestic cups we need a keeper who doesn’t make loads of mistakes.
The odd mistake is fine, that happens.
But constant, consistent mistakes are unacceptable and if Olsen impresses against Leeds then Pickford should not be handed an immediate return to the starting 11.
If things go right for Olsen this weekend, it could be the beginning of the end of Pickford’s time at Goodison Park.
In other Everton news, Kevin Campbell has hailed Yerry Mina’s recent improvement for the Blues.