Everton: Jordan Pickford preferred to Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris in Stuart Pearce combined XI
Stuart Pearce has sided with Everton shot-stopper Jordan Pickford in his combined XI of players in the England and France squads.
The two footballing heavyweights are set to take each other on in Qatar on Saturday (10 December) with the winner facing either Morocco or Portugal in the semi-final.
When asked live on talkSPORT who he would prefer in every position, Pearce seemed to show no hesitation in giving the nod to the Toffees star.
“Pickford would edge out Lloris,” he said before rattling off the rest of his side with the only debate being between Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele on the right wing.
Pickford has been Gareth Southgate’s choice between the sticks for every game at the World Cup with only Iran scoring past him with two consolation goals in the opening fixture.
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There might not be many if any goalkeepers in world football who would push Pickford out of the England team right now and that is only cemented at Goodison Park.
Everton would be a Championship side right now had it not been for the 28-year-old’s heroics with the gloves last season so the Toffees will forever be in his debt.
Lloris has had his own flashes of brilliance for both France and Spurs recently but his age is starting to catch up with him and mistakes are creeping in more often.
His match-winning ability seems to have diminished over the past few years which has left Antonio Conte perhaps wanting to find a better number one in the transfer market.
Given the choice, Frank Lampard and Gareth Southgate would definitely stick with Pickford who is quickly becoming a genuinely elite player in his position and he could even lift the World Cup before returning to Merseyside.