Chris Beesley writes after Everton and England number Jordan Pickford produced a simply magnificent save to seal an incredible 3-2 win at the club who seem to dislike him the most, Newcastle United
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 28: Jordan Pickford of Everton celebrates victory following the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Everton at St James' Park on February 28, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Jordan Pickford celebrates after Everton win at Newcastle United again in the Premier League(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
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This week Kop Idol Jamie Carragher echoed the sentiments this correspondent has been banging on about for several years and build a statue of Everton legend Neville Southall at Hill Dickinson Stadium. But maybe they should now build a statue of Jordan Pickford at St James’ Park?
Pickford is the Blues’ most talented custodian since the Welsh international, who was the best in the world in his pomp and the biggest compliment you could pay to the 31-year-old here is that his stoppage time save from Sandro Tonali was Southall-esque in its impressive nature.
On Saturday evening, he left Newcastle United’s home as he entered it again – smiling.
Like the inflatable dinosaurs, the arguments about who is the greatest goalkeeper in the land have long since disappeared and the England number one showed why he’s streets ahead of the competition with a sensational finger-tip save onto the crossbar to deny Tonali what looked like being a third Newcastle equaliser of the afternoon in this breathtaking contest.
The incredible stop was in sharp contrast to the manner at the same Gallowgate End of the ground in the first half that Three Lions understudy Nick Pope made a hash of Dwight McNeil’s shot for Beto to fire the Blues back in front.
Several years ago, the Toon Army would regularly bate Sunderland lad Pickford on both trips to Tyneside and fixtures at Goodison Park with their prehistoric paraphernalia as some kind of weird, baseless body shaming exercise.
Those antics have now been abandoned because regardless of the stick his regional rivals throw in his direction, he continues to put in sensational displays against them.
Last May, Eddie Howe’s side left the field celebrating their clinching of Champions League qualification but the competition’s anthem was drowned out by the singing of the travelling Evertonians’ ‘up in the Gods’ who belted out their ‘Jordan Pickford is dynamite’ anthem.
It was a similar scenario here for the Blues supporters thanks to their goalkeeper’s last-gasp heroics.
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