Jordan Pickford in action during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Everton at St James' Park. Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Jordan Pickford in action during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Everton at St James' Park. Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Jordan Pickford has matured so much and we saw that again at Newcastle United. Yes, he revels in his role as the pantomime villain and you can tell he loves his new song.
But once again he saved a great display for an opponent that mattered and he was every bit as important to a great win at St James’ Park as Carlos Alcaraz and the other nine players in front of him.
It was a fitting way to sign off another excellent campaign for Pickford - a series of good saves in a hostile environment that showcased his value and took him to another clean sheet for a year in which only David Raya and Matz Sels achieved more.
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His form this season makes him my player of the year for Everton. The future is looking bright and Newcastle was another reminder that such optimism is only possible because of his heroics over the years. When the going gets tough, Pickford shows up - like he did in those big, relegation-fighting games against Chelsea and Leicester City and like he did so many times in the first half of this season, when the team struggled in front of him.
There were some tough games at Goodison Park that were made bearable by Pickford, like when he saved those one-on-ones against 10-man Brentford and the Anthony Gordon penalty when Newcastle visited Merseyside.
Pickford has saved us so many times and he has kept Everton in games they were being overwhelmed in. Everton did not spend long periods with their backs against the wall on Sunday but when Newcastle did create a chance, he was equal to it.
I was really pleased with that win and the insight into this group it provided. These were an absolutely fantastic three points in a game when our squad had nothing to play for and the question, for me, was whether the travelling supporters would have anything to shout about.
There were key players missing, Newcastle needed a win and Everton didn’t - I was expecting a challenging afternoon.
But once again we saw David Moyes does not allow standards to drop and this time we were ruthless. I have been so frustrated over the years about Everton being unable to punish teams when they get the chance. On Sunday, Everton looked a threat going forward and, after some good chances already, when Carlos Alcaraz headed in they showed an edge I have not seen in a while. It was a header that was Tim Cahill-esque and Everton deserved it.
Moyes should take huge credit for that win. When he came in, the big question was whether he could get any more from a group of players that had struggled under Frank Lampard then Dyche. What he has achieved since January shows a different manager and new voices in the dressing room can have a big impact.
Pickford and Alcaraz were not the only players who impressed me. Iliman Ndiaye is up there among my players of the season - his strength, his control and his creativity are great attributes to have and it has been so refreshing to have a player in Royal Blue who can get fans out of their seats. He was missed during his time out injured but could be a big player heading into next season.
Jake O’Brien also excelled at Newcastle. My young player of the year, I have been so impressed with him. We saw such little of him before Moyes returned and I was surprised to see him get his opportunity at right back. He was not given a period of grace and was thrown in during tough games against tricky wingers but he quickly made that spot his own.
O’Brien has been a top professional and his move to centre back in recent weeks has been a good one. His introduction to the starting XI came in the game that changed everything for me. Moyes’ second stint began in disappointment with that narrow home defeat to Aston Villa but the win over Tottenham Hotspur days later galvanised everyone. It was nervy at the end but it injected much-needed belief into the squad and what they have achieved since then has been remarkable.