GRADING QATAR WORLD CUP 2022 KITS PART 2
Everton’s goalkeeping situation has been a constant talking point throughout the season.
An injury to Jordan Pickford gave Robin Olsen another chance to impress against Leeds in midweek.
It’s fair to say he took it, pulling off a fantastic triple save in the second half before batting away a deflected Jack Harrison effort soon after.
That gives Carlo Ancelotti a real headache ahead of the trip to face Manchester United on Saturday, provided Pickford is fit again.
In an exclusive interview with Nigel Martyn, we asked him for his thoughts on the goalkeeping situation after last night’s 2-1 win at Elland Road against another of his former clubs.
“Put it this way, he’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t start against United,” said Martyn of Olsen. “You put in a performance like that and you are buzzing and you want to play the next game.
“Every time he’s come in, he’s done the job. Ancelotti keeps looking at Olsen, asking is this lad better? He’s barged through the door.
“What I think will happen is Ancelotti will go back to Pickford. But I don’t think he’s got any chances left. If he has a bad performance, Ancelotti will go and put Olsen in for five or six games.
“But I wouldn’t be surprised if he did stick with Olsen because his confidence is high.
“It just goes to show it doesn’t matter who you are, your position is under threat the whole time.”
It would be harsh on Olsen to drop him after a performance like that but Ancelotti gets paid to make the big calls.
He has put Olsen in just for one game before and pulled him out and he may do so again.
But that goalkeeping decision will be the first thing many Everton fans look at when the teams come out at around 7pm on Saturday.
It’s a big decision and one which Ancelotti has to get right.
Nigel Martyn speaking to Everton News: Archive
