‘He’s NOT a top goalkeeper’: Roy Keane SLAMS Jordan Pickford for performance in Everton’s defeat by Man City as he claims the Toffees No 1 ‘looks so small’ after failing to save Ilkay Gundogan’s free kick
- Pickford has conceded 56 goals in 36 games this season in a relegation battle
- He conceded three more in the defeat and Keane questioned his role in the third
- Pickford remains England’s first choice stopper, however, despite the criticism
Former Manchester United skipper Roy Keane delivered a withering assessment of England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford following Everton’s Premier League defeat to title-chasing Manchester City.
The 29-year-old was given little chance by Ilkay Gundogan’s stunning first-half strike, but was unable to keep out Erling Haaland’s header seconds later and was well beaten by Gundogan’s second-half free-kick as City won 3-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.
Analysing the third goal, Keane, who has questioned Pickford’s credentials in the past, disagreed with fellow pundit Micah Richards’ opinion of Gareth Southgate’s number one.
He told Sky Sports: ‘Pickford, for the goal…my goodness. He looks so small in there. There’s no spring, he’s not anticipating.
‘Micah said before the game he’s a top goalkeeper. He’s not.’
Roy Keane has insisted Jordan Pickford is ‘not a top goalkeeper’ after Everton’s loss to Manchester City
Pickford conceded three goals and was questioned over his role in some of the play on Saturday
Keane said Pickford ‘looks so small’ in his goal when analysing Ilkay Gundogan’s third goal
Pickford has been an ever-present for Everton this season in the Toffees’ fight against relegation, playing 35 of the side’s 36 games in the Premier League this season, conceding 56 goals in another tough campaign.
He however remains England’s first choice goalkeeper, picked perhaps because of his distribution skills as well as his shot-stopping.
Richards insisted Pickford didn’t have a chance for the goal, which saw Gundogan almost side foot the ball into the back of the net from distance, but Keane wasn’t having it and didn’t hold back.
Pickford was also lucky not to give away a penalty in the second half when he brought down Haaland
Keane didn’t hold back in his analysis, choosing to criticise Pickford when Micah Richards (left) had spared him any harsh assessment
Keane was, however, full of praise for Gundogan and in particular, his improvised 37th-minute finish after he had controlled Riyad Mahrez’s cross on his thigh before flicking the ball home with his back still to goal.
He said: ‘What an outstanding player. Again, we mentioned (Everton boss) Sean Dyche will be disappointed with the defending, but once it goes in there, his first touch is brilliant; his second one is even better.
‘What a player this guy is, absolutely brilliant, the way he times his runs into the box…what a magnificent finish. I’d watch that all day. Brilliant.’
Everton are two points above the relegation zone with two games remaining, though Leicester could leapfrog them with a win over Liverpool on Monday.
