By Liam Thomas

5th Mar, 2023 | 2:46pm

Sky Sports pundit slams Everton star Jordan Pickford over first-half incident v Nottingham Forest

Clinton Morrison was left raging at Jordan Pickford after the Everton goalkeeper got in the face of referee John Brooks in the first half against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Morrison confessed that it was “frustrating” to see Pickford acting the way he did at the City Ground and questioned the shot-stopper for his need to question Brooks.

Pickford was fuming about Brooks’ decision to award Nottingham Forest a freekick early on in the first-half one which ultimately amounted to nothing.

“Pickford always gets involved! He’s a great goalkeeper and I rate him so highly but why does he always get involved and go up to referees?,” questioned Morrison on BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday (5 March) as quoted on the BBC Sport matchday blog at 2:07pm.

“It’s frustrating to see, I understand outfield players doing it but why do it as a goalkeeper?

“I can’t talk because I was worse than him though!”

Frantic.

It was a frantic first half for Everton and after going ahead through a Demarai Gray penalty, Nottingham Forest soon equalised in the end-to-end contest.

Abdoulaye Doucoure restored the Blues’ lead shortly before the half-time break in what has been the Toffees’ most-attack-minded setup since Sean Dyche arrived.

Fans had been screaming out for Demarai Gray to get a start in the fixture and it was bizarre that Dyche had left out the Englishman from his starting XI since arriving at Goodison Park.

His direct and pacey play already seems to have provided Everton with a different outlet up top, a nice sight for Evertonians after weeks of Neal Maupay doing next to nothing.

A big second-half performance will be needed to keep Steve Cooper’s side at bay in a game that looks like it could swing any way at the drop of a hat.

Super Sundays can sometimes not live up to the hype, nevertheless, this Premier League clash has been a classic so far.