GRADING QATAR WORLD CUP 2022 KITS PART 2
Jordan Pickford produced arguably his best performance of the season at Anfield on Saturday.
The England goalkeeper has had his critics this season but he was immense in the 2-0 win over Liverpool.
Who better to ask about Pickford’s display than former Everton and Three Lions goalkeeper Nigel Martyn?
He was full of praise for Pickford, and was particularly impressed by how much more relaxed he was.
“The goalie had a great game,” said Martyn. “I don’t know if this is a conscious effort but right from the first moment I saw him in the game he looked so much calmer.
“He’s usually very animated in his mannerisms but he looked very calm. To me, that’s a great sign early on.
“He’s made a great save early on from (Jordan) Henderson’s volley – really top save. That would have given him confidence but he didn’t get overly excited.
“Right to the last save, where he tipped it over and he overegged it a little bit and he became animated a little bit and it was 93 minutes on the clock so I wasn’t so worried.”
“He looked more composed and had an excellent. The save from (Mo) Salah was vital as well because Liverpool were pushing for an equaliser and the goalkeeper and the back five stood up at that point.”
It might have been a different story in front of a full Anfield trying to put Pickford off after his incident with Virgil van Dijk earlier this season – but the goalkeeper was serene all afternoon.
That’s what he needs to show on a weekly basis and he has the perfect manager in Ancelotti to learn from in terms of controlling his emotions.
Pickford will hope that Anfield masterclass can set the tone for a strong end to the season, helping guide Everton into Europe before his summer excursions with England.
Nigel Martyn speaking to Everton News: Archive
