MusaJordan Pickford remains England’s first-choice goalkeeper at the age of 32, having now spent a decade representing the Three Lions at senior level.
Over the years, the Everton goalkeeper has established himself as one of the most accomplished shot-stoppers in England’s history, while his consistency for the Toffees has played a major role in cementing his position.
However, Pickford’s status as England’s undisputed No.1 has recently come under greater scrutiny under Thomas Tuchel, with competition for the position increasing.
Pickford recently addressed the situation and insisted that he welcomed the competition, but former England defender Stuart Pearce believes the Everton star was not being completely genuine with his comments.
What did Stuart Pearce say about Jordan Pickford?
Pickford has once again found himself at the centre of attention during the international break, with plenty of discussion surrounding his position in the England team.
The Everton goalkeeper has often struggled to receive universal praise despite his performances for club and country, and Tuchel’s decision to hand James Trafford two starts during the current international window only added to the debate.
Trafford started England’s games against Spain and Czechia, although his performances did little to convince everyone that Pickford’s place was under immediate threat.
Pickford was subsequently restored to the starting XI for the clash against Croatia and suggested that he was happy to have genuine competition for his position.
However, those comments were questioned on talkSPORT before the match.
Adrian Durham asked Pearce: “He [Pickford] can’t have been happy that he’s basically missed out on two caps?”
Pearce agreed, arguing that it would be difficult for any England player to genuinely enjoy seeing a rival take their place.
The former England international said: “No, I don’t think he would be, to be fair. Any England player that turns around and says, ‘I’m enjoying the competition’, is probably lying a little bit.
“We all want a clear run at that position, we all want to be first pick.”
Pearce’s comments suggest that he believes Pickford’s public stance does not necessarily reflect how he feels privately.
Nevertheless, Pickford had the opportunity to answer his critics on the pitch when England travelled to face Croatia.
How did Pickford perform against Croatia?
There was little reason for Pickford to publicly criticise Trafford or turn the situation into a personal battle. Instead, the Everton goalkeeper simply focused on his own performance ahead of England’s trip to Croatia.
The game offered Pickford relatively little work during the opening stages at Stadion HNK Rijeka.
However, when he was finally called upon, the 32-year-old showed exactly why he has remained England’s No.1 for so long.
Pickford reacted quickly to a loose ball and raced off his line to beat Ivan Perisic to it, demonstrating his awareness and composure under pressure.
Interestingly, Pearce was quick to praise Pickford for the intervention despite questioning his comments before the match.
For Pickford, the priority will now be to maintain his focus, produce a strong performance and keep a clean sheet against Croatia as he continues to prove his value to England and answer his critics on the pitch.
Musa
