Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford played the full 90 minutes as England beat Andorra 1-0 in the World Cup Qualifiers.
The Three Lions extended their lead at the top of Group K on Saturday night with an unconvincing win against an Andorra side that they should have dominated.
Despite the result, all eyes were on Jordan Pickford after comments from England boss Thomas Tuchel regarding his place in future England squads.
Tuchel said English goalkeepers playing in Europe are “ideal”, putting the 31-year-old’s place in the England setup in jeopardy.
Pickford has been a huge part of the England squad since his first call-up in 2017, making 76 appearances. He has also played in the last four major tournaments with the Three Lions, helping them reach the final of the last two European Championships.
With Pickford securing another England cap, here is how the English media rated his fairly muted performance against Andorra.
Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Jordan Pickford puts in a quiet performance as England beat Andorra
It is another win for England, and another clean sheet on the national stage for Pickford. However, he was barely troubled by the Andorran attack, which failed to register a single shot on target.
The stadium was barely full, a reflection of how many felt about the game – an easy win for the Three Lions.
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Pickford had little to do, and that is reflected in the national media’s ratings.
inews gave Pickford a 6/10, saying: “A passenger. Not a shot to save in the first half and very few touches required otherwise.”
The Standard rated Pickford 5/10 and said: “Tuchel could’ve probably started himself between the sticks and it wouldn’t have mattered much. Jordan Pickford’s biggest takeaway from this match will likely be the tan he picked up while standing about with not much to do in the Barcelona sunshine.”
Goal.com said: “5/10 – The Everton hero had virtually nothing to do as he watched his team-mates stutter their way to an uninspiring victory.”
Finally, the Telegraph said: “Had nothing to do apart from keep his concentration. No saves to make in the end for the England No1, who has Dean Henderson pushing for starts. 6/10”
Jordan Pickford’s gave vs Andorra by numbers
Pickford will not be phased by Tuchel’s recent comments. He is well aware of his abilities and how much he has contributed to the England national team in his eight years.
Even though Tuchel wants his goalkeepers to play European football, Pickford wants to sign a new deal with Everton and see his professional career out with the Toffees.
Jordan Pickford statistics vs Andorra
Minutes 90
Touches 37
Passes 31/36 (86%)
Saves 0
Recoveries 2
That news will be much to the delight of many fans, who recognise his contributions to the club. Everton fans think they would not be in the Premier League without Pickford. His crucial stops in the last three seasons have kept them in the top flight when things looked fairly morbid.
A plus for Pickford being on international duty is that he can liaise with players linked with moves to Everton. Pickford was spotted at the F1 with John Stones last week. The former Everton man is linked with a return to Merseyside, so Pickford could have been playing secret agent to try and convince him to make the move.