Everton gem Jordan Pickford named in Garth Crooks’ Team of the Season as summer wish made
Garth Crooks has named goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in his Premier League Team of the Season following a spectacular campaign for Everton.
The 30-year-old kept 13 clean sheets in 38 league matches, helping the Toffees to survive the threat of relegation, and Crooks hopes the keeper can do the same for England at Euro 2024 this summer.
He also gave a special mention to Everton manager Sean Dyche, who led the Merseyside club to 13 victories, keeping calm amidst all the chaos at Goodison Park this season.
Writing for BBC Sport on Monday (20 May), Crooks said: “The golden glove – for the highest number of clean sheets this season – may have gone to David Raya, but he had the good fortune to have inherited an Arsenal defensive unit that was the best in the country.
“Everton were doing fine until they had 10 points deducted, with the club thrown into a tailspin. Mid-table mediocrity was suddenly replaced by a fight for survival. Throughout this turbulent period, there were two individuals who remained unshakable.
“Manager Sean Dyche was like a rock, and Jordan Pickford showed nerves of steel. The England number one goalkeeper produced match-winning performances whenever it mattered. Let’s hope he can do the same for England at Euro 2024.”
Jordan Pickford and Sean Dyche praised at Everton
Pickford certainly deserves his flowers after facing several seasons full of criticism from fans and the media alike, with some still raising concerns over the ‘keeper’s abilities.
However, with the second-most clean sheets in the Premier League, just three behind Arsenal’s Raya, those uncertainties should now be put to bed ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany this summer.
In addition to this, Dyche has been praised throughout the season, and rightly so. With the uncertainty over the club’s takeover, he has been nothing short of exemplary in how he has dealt with the situation.
Of course, defensive duo Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski will feel extremely hard done by to miss out on the Team of the Season, and some may suggest that Dwight McNeil and James Garner could be involved too.
England fans could see both Pickford and Branthwaite in Germany this summer, though the former is much likelier to be involved in Gareth Southgate’s starting XI due to longevity.
In other Everton news, King believes “pressure” at Goodison Park is mounting after a £150million loan development.
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