Jordan Pickford’s form this season has been an ongoing talking point, despite Everton’s unbeaten start to the campaign.
The England goalkeeper suffered another tough afternoon on Saturday as his side drew 2-2 with Liverpool in an action-packed Merseyside derby.
Here, the PA news agency looks at another difficult display for the 26-year-old.
Lucky to escape a red card early on?
Everton were already 1-0 down when Pickford came to close down the angle on Virgil van Dijk as the defender chased a flick-on just inside the six-yard box with six minutes gone.
He missed the ball and took out Van Dijk with a tackle which was widely condemned but, with VAR checking to see if Van Dijk was offside, the check stopped once it was decided he was.
Van Dijk had to go off injured and, consequently, Liverpool were given a tougher time in the air than they may have had if he had remained on the field.
But better in between?
There were some clear moments of excellence from Pickford as his side improved and recovered from their rocky start.
In particular, a smart save from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick and a second-half stop from Joel Matip showed he had put that tough opening behind him, and he was decisive in coming off his line.
Another let-off to finish?
Jordan Henderson thought he had won it for Liverpool in time added on, but VAR decided Sadio Mane was offside in the build-up by a barely visible margin.
The debate over that will go on and that may help Pickford duck the criticism he may have received for allowing Henderson’s low shot to beat him when, in truth, it was an effort he really should have dealt with.
Pickford may have been having Merseyside derby nightmares again having made a costly blunder to allow Divock Origi to score an added-time winner at Anfield in December 2018.
