Former England internationals have offered their support to Jordan Pickford following his recent omission from the England starting line-up, expressing confidence that the Everton goalkeeper will retain his status as the national team’s first choice between the posts.
Pickford was left out of the initial squad for the current international window by manager Thomas Tuchel, who opted to start James Trafford for the opening two fixtures.
The decision marked a notable change for Pickford, who has been a fixture in the England side since his debut in a goalless draw against Germany at Wembley on 10 November 2017.
That first cap came less than five months after he signed for Everton from Sunderland in a transfer reported at £25 million.
Since then, the 32-year-old has accumulated 91 senior caps and has set the record for the most World Cup appearances by an England player, reaching 19 matches.
He has also surpassed Phil Jagielka’s mark of 40 appearances for the Three Lions while registered with Everton, establishing a new club benchmark for England appearances.
Former England striker Kevin Phillips, who won eight caps and scored 30 Premier League goals for Sunderland in the 1999-2000 campaign under then-manager Peter Reid, said he was surprised by the decision to omit Pickford but acknowledged that Tuchel is entitled to assess alternative options.
Phillips suggested that Pickford’s best route back into the side is through strong performances for Everton, in order to remind observers of his standing in the pecking order.
The international break has taken on a different look for Pickford, who faces genuine competition for his place for the first time in some time.
Trafford completed a £45 million move from Manchester City to Leeds United over the summer and the 23-year-old has featured regularly at Elland Road this season.
Tuchel selected Trafford, a six-foot-six goalkeeper from Cumbria, for the first two matches of the present break.
Trafford started the 3-2 home defeat by Spain and the 2-0 away victory in Czechia.
Pickford has since been reinstated for the away fixture in Croatia and the subsequent home return against the Czech Republic.
Former Arsenal forward Alan Smith, who was capped 13 times by England, scored twice at international level and won two league titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and a European Cup-Winners’ Cup, amassing 115 goals in 351 appearances, suggested that it remains unclear whether Trafford is genuinely displacing Pickford.
Smith noted that Trafford has featured in the previous two fixtures, including the match on the Tuesday, and has not put a foot wrong.
He added that Pickford has enjoyed an excellent international career and has rarely been at fault for the national side, suggesting that the door remains open for the Everton man to reassert himself.