Jordan Pickford highlights what sets Dyche apart from his past Everton managers

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Jordan Pickford has been a stalwart for Everton ever since his 2017 acquisition, with his word growing in influence with each passing season.

Having captained the club on numerous occasions, and becoming one of the finest shot-stoppers in both England and the Premier League, his talent is an immense source of pride for a side that has been lacking any kind of positivity of late.

So, to see him rush to laud Sean Dyche is admirable, with the £30m goalkeeper actually outlining a key trait which is helping the 52-year-old tactician to stand out from his predecessors.

After all, many managers before him had crucially struggled to get a tune out of their substitutes, whether that be due to a lack of quality or incentive. EFC Statto recently revealed, after a replacement scored the winner on Saturday: ‘Idrissa Gueye’s goal against Crystal Palace was the first time an #EFC substitute scored the winning goal in a Premier League game since Oumar Niasse against Bournemouth in September 2017.’

So, it actually makes sense to see the £125k-per-week keeper tell Everton’s official website: ‘The substitutes make an impact, it’s not just the 11 who start the game, it’s a full team putting a shift in all week and then it makes the difference on game day.

‘It’s always a big team effort, that’s what gets you up the table. That is what keeps pushing performances and the mentality for us to be a better side, one that keeps looking forward.’

How good is Jordan Pickford?

What Pickford has given to this football club is really unquantifiable, remaining unflappable and ever-present for the Toffees throughout two relegation battles.

However, he was not content with being a simple goalkeeper who would save what he should do and allow the rest to pass him by. He wanted to stand up, such was his character, and become a hero.

Fortunately for him, and the entire fanbase, that’s exactly what he did.

Earning vital clean sheets in wins against the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea during the 2021/22 campaign, the latter of which saw him make what was eventually dubbed the Save of the Season, the 29-year-old stepped up again last season.

The final four games of the campaign saw him handed the armband by Dyche, and his final-day clean sheet was well-earned to see out a vital 1-0 win over AFC Bournemouth.

Now, boasting a 64% save percentage whilst recording 2.4 saves per game in the league, the former Sunderland star is once again proving his worth as he closes in on 260 appearances for Everton.

If he favours the manager, it certainly stands for a lot, especially given his plans to end his career a legend of the club.