Kevin Campbell admits Jordan Pickford rightly criticised by Sky Sports pair for Everton blunder
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Kevin Campbell admits that Jordan Pickford was at fault for the first Everton red card in the defeat to Brentford on Sunday (15 May).
He had previously defended the Toffees keeper and said critics were quick to jump on him but slower to praise him after some heroic performances in goal.
But after Sky Sports pair Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher singled out Pickford for retreating back to his goal and leaving Jarrad Branthwaite at the mercy of Ivan Toney on Monday Night Football, the former Everton captain accepted the point was valid this time.
“No, that one no,” he told Goodison News as to whether the pundits were too quick to criticise.
“Because even I said – I was doing the game for PLP [Premier League Productions] – and when the ball got punted up I said, ‘Where’s Pickford?’
“Because any ball over the top there, the goalkeeper’s supposed to eat that.
“But the fact that he was coming and he went back left Branthwaite having to deal with a very experience striker.
“And then Branthwaite’s the wrong side, and he’s trying to get back at him, and Ivan Toney does what all good forwards do, get’s across the defender.
“And Branthwaite can’t get out the way, pulls him down, it’s a red card!
“But Jordan Pickford, you’ve got to be the sweeper there. You’ve got to be.
“The fact of that matter is that he went back, and that leaves Branthwaite on toast for Ivan Toney unfortunately.
“Young man got sent off and it causes a spiral, because Everton were cruising at that point.
“This is how quick these games changed.”
The England keeper has been instrumental in recent weeks as the club finally secured top flight survival against Crystal Palace.
Without his saves against Chelsea and Leicester they wouldn’t be safe, and he was rightly praised for his performances there.
But if he makes an error it is only fair for it to be pointed out, and while it may have cost them against the Bees the worries are now finally gone, and he was overall a big reason for that.
In other Everton news, Chris Sutton became embroiled in a Twitter spat after reacting to Frank Lampard keeping the team in the Premier League.
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