Everton: ‘World class’ Jordan Pickford stuns talkSPORT pundit against Manchester United
Alan Pardew branded Jordan Pickford “world class” after the Everton keeper produced a stunning save in the defeat at Manchester United.
The England number one put in a strong performance but saw two penalties go past him from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, after clumsy fouls from James Tarkowski and Ben Godfrey respectively.
Pickford couldn’t keep the Portuguese out from the spot but succeeded in denying him from a free kick with a flying save inside the first half an hour, and former Newcastle boss Pardew was stunned on the talkSPORT commentary (9 March).
He said, via the station’s website: “That was your world-class moment right there, and that’s what the Premier League is all about.
“It’s a fantastic free-kick and it’s an ever better save. I know it wasn’t right in the corner but that was some leap, and he’s had to change his hands mid-flight to save it too.
“That’s going in Pickford’s YouTube top ten, that one. He’ll be TikToking that later, that’s for sure!”
Everton keeper excels at Old Trafford to deny Bruno Fernandes
It will likely get lost in the way two sloppy penalties were conceded to throw away the opportunity to put pressure on a pedestrian United side but Pickford had a strong game.
He produced a few important saves that would conceivably have been good enough for a clean sheet were it not for the hosts being handed two golden opportunities from the spot.
Alejandro Garnacho was the primary threat down the right and the Argentine was the man felled for both penalties, but otherwise Erik ten Hag’s side didn’t create many clear chances.
That is irrelevant though since Sean Dyche saw his side succumb to familiar issues, poor shooting and self-inflicted errors, to leave the manager enraged on the touchline.
He has three weeks now to try to instil some much-needed confidence in his players, who look to have had it drained out of them since the excellent form in early December.
The ongoing off-field issues around the club have likely taken their toll, not least the changing league table picture thanks to the changing level of the points deduction, but they need to get back on track urgently with the threat of a second on the horizon.
In other Everton news, public money for the Toffees’ stadium build has been suggested by a Sky Sports pundit.
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