Gary Neville lets rip at Jordan Pickford after error in Everton loss v Liverpool in Merseyside Derby
Gary Neville was furious with Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for his role in Liverpool’s opening goal in the Merseyside Derby defeat on Monday night.
The Toffees fell behind just before half time when Mo Salah prodded into an empty net following a blistering counter-attack, just seconds after James Tarkowski had headed against the post at the other end.
But reacting to the goal at half-time live on Sky Sports (13 February, 20:53), pundit Neville let rip at the Everton goalkeeper as he described his actions as “just bad”.
“It’s not interesting, it’s just bad,” he said.
“I have no idea what he is doing. It’s almost as if he thinks the ball isn’t going to end up at Salah’s feet, it’s going to the back post, and he makes a real mess of it.
“It’s an open goal and he makes it really easy for Mo Salah.”
Awful
It’s not often we agree with Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher, but it’s hard not to on this occasion.
Pickford looks like he’s trying to anticipate the ball going to Cody Gakpo at the back post, but he completely ignored Salah who got there first and just had to make contact to score a goal.
For a player of such experience like Pickford, he has to read that situation far better and be more decisive in those big moments.
Obviously nobody is going to turn on him considering his performances and stature in the team over the last two years or so, but that doesn’t mean he’s exempt from criticism and he had to do far better there.
Those moments are vital in games, and while not many people expected us to get a win against Liverpool, those lost points could be the difference at the end of the season in the relegation battle.