Everton are finally getting praise for their fine recent form, which has secured their top-flight status once again.
And whilst Ian Wright has sought to laud the manager for leading them to safety, whilst Joey Barton opted to offer Idrissa Gana Gueye his adulation, one BBC pundit has outlined his own pick for the outstanding player in Sean Dyche‘s team.
This has been neatly outlined in a weekly report, which actually attributes the Toffees’ survival to his performances.
Garth Crooks thinks one player has saved Everton
Writing in his weekly Team of the Week column, BBC Pundit Garth Crooks has been known for his rather outlandish inclusions and subsequent justifications during his time in this role.
However, there could be no arguments against the sole Everton player he included, even lauding him as one of the spearheads who has secured their survival again.
Having now been involved in all three of their recent relegation battles, and stood up to shine when needed, Jordan Pickford deserves his flowers.
Crook seeks to give them to him, noting: ‘What a top-class save by Jordan Pickford from Ivan Toney in the opening exchanges against Brentford. The striker was in the six-yard box bearing down on goal and Pickford got across to make the stop.
‘England’s number one goalkeeper also did well to deny Kevin Schade before making an electric recovery as he scrambled to deny Toney any chance of picking up the pieces.
‘Everton might be safe now but that is largely due to Pickford who has been magnificent in recent games. Only Arsenal’s David Raya has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League and his team are top of the table.’
Jordan Pickford is closing in on legendary status at Everton
Having joined the club in 2017 as a young, fresh-faced shot-stopper who had just been relegated with Sunderland, it was expected that he would provide the goalkeeping foundation with which a brighter future at Everton would be built.
And whilst he was initially prone to some rather high-profile errors, his ability to pull off otherworldly saves was second to none.
Well, having since ironed out those issues as he has aged, but retained that world-class quality to thwart opposition attackers, this season the 30-year-old is boasting the defensive figures to back up his excellence.
Only David Raya in the Arsenal goal has more clean sheets than him this season, and only the top three sides have conceded less than Everton.
Pickford has been an integral part of the Toffees’ setup ever since joining, and through no fault of his own, he has had to oversee their steady regression.
And yet, despite being at a level far above a relegation battle, he has remained, having made 276 appearances for the club now and played a vital role in achieving safety over the last three campaigns.
His loyalty was further cemented when he committed his future to the club back in February 2023, during one of the lowest points for Everton on the pitch.
He is a cult hero for sure, and should he maintain his form, keep himself in the side, and help progress them up the table in the coming years, he will surely leave a legend.