Pundit shares ‘not sure’ verdict about ‘hyperactive’ Everton ace Jordan Pickford live on BBC
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is “box-office” and “hyperactive,” according to BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton.
The 29-year-old joined the Merseyside club from Sunderland in 2017, serving as his club’s number one from that moment on.
The England international boasts 242 appearances for the Toffees, and has made 62 clean sheets in the Premier League.
“He’s always got a rick in him though, hasn’t he?” Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club (4 September). “There’s always that feeling about the unexpected going to happen.
“He’s hyperactive. I always prefer a calmer, more sedate goalkeeper. He is box-office and a great shot-stopper, but in truth I’m not totally convinced that’s what you need.
“You need calm, do your job, you don’t want goalkeepers tearing out of the box, however good he is with his feet, I’m not sure about him.”
Key player
Pickford may be more energetic than most goalkeepers in the box, but he is a very important player for the Toffees, and has been since he made the move to Goodison Park.
Everton fans may have been fearing the worst this summer amid rumours linking the goalkeeper with a move away from the club, but he has remained loyal, even when times have been very tough, which they still are.
The Merseyside outfit sit 18th in the Premier League relegation zone with just one point from their first four matches.
Unfortunately, they are no stranger to that position, having only narrowly stayed in the division in the past two seasons.
Relegation was a real threat on those two occasions, and it perhaps could have happened to the Toffees if it wasn’t for the heroics of Pickford in the Everton goal.
He has proven his worth to the club time and again, most recently via a superb double save in the 2-2 draw with Sheffield United on Saturday (2 September).
In other Everton news, the Toffees plan to reintegrate an angry player barring an unexpected late change, according to David Ornstein.