Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski in ‘screaming match’ amid ‘absolute chaos’ in Everton win at Nottingham Forest
Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski were caught in a “real screaming match” with each other during the 1-0 Everton win at Nottingham Forest, according to Paul Robinson.
The BBC Sport pundit reacted live on the 5Live commentary in the 53rd minute on 2 December, as a home corner caused “absolute chaos” in the Toffees box and culminated with numerous players down on the turf after Felipe had clipped the post.
Ryan Yates had a penalty claim turned down in the middle of it after wrestling with Abdoulaye Doucouré as Forest went close with the scoreline still goalless, and the two Everton stars were left raging at each other as a result.
Robinson said (6.44pm): “That was chaos. That was a corner that caused absolute chaos. There’s three or four players on the floor. Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford are having a real screaming match at each other.
“It’s continuing now, both shouting at each other, blaming each other for something that’s gone on in the box.
“It comes to Felipe on this near side, he swings a left foot at it. I actually think it hits the outside of the post.”
Commitment
Pickford and Tarkowski know as well as anyone what the stakes are for Everton right now, as the captain on the day and the man who often wears the armband in place of Seamus Coleman.
After the Toffees’ strong recent form went out the window thanks to the 10 point penalty for a profit and sustainability breach, then an unfortunate 3-0 defeat by Manchester United in the first game back, there was a lot of pressure on this result.
That is especially true following Luton Town’s win last week and Burnley’s shock 5-0 victory earlier in the day left Sean Dyche’s side bottom of the table at kick off.
So it is good to see the leaders in the side trying to maintain high standards in difficult circumstances, and ultimately they managed to do so as a clean sheet meant Dwight McNeil’s wonderful winner at the other end was enough.
A vital three points without star men Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Amadou Onana in the line up can’t be underestimated, and is the sort of response that Dyche would have been desperate for last week in front of the home fans.
Everton have been surprisingly formidable away from home this season and, while the win at Forest won’t win any points for style, it was the sort of gritty performance that backs up the feeling that this side can survive even the current double-digit points penalty.
In other Everton news, a “highly problematic” Premier League claim has caused even more concern over the process that punished the club.