Everton have delivered a scathing response to Lee Dixon after he questioned why Jordan Pickford has not left the club. The ITV pundit was commentating on Tuesday evening as England swept past Latvia to secure their place at next summer’s World Cup.
Everton goalkeeper Pickford was chosen between the posts by manager Thomas Tuchel, maintaining his ninth successive clean sheet for his nation on his 80th cap. Whilst former Arsenal defender Dixon heaped praise on the keeper, he queried why Pickford had not opted to transfer to a ‘bigger club’. Everton supporters responded angrily to that suggestion, whilst the Toffees themselves also hit back at Dixon.
Posting on Twitter, the Merseyside club wrote: “9 top-flight titles, 5 FA Cups, 1 European title, One of football’s most passionate fanbases, A world-class new stadium. Everton FC – a big club: past, present and future, @LeeDixon2.”
Pickford seems unlikely to depart anytime soon. He is poised to pen a fresh long-term agreement that will see him prolong his tenure at the club for another four years.
“Obviously everyone knows how happy I am at Everton but I’m not going to go too much into it, ” he commented regarding his new contract. “I’ve got my England head on for the next two days.
“I just want to get the qualification, get the win tomorrow and hopefully get another cap and hit number 80. That’s my sole focus at the minute.”
Pickford, who has made 322 appearances for Everton since his transfer from Sunderland in 2017, was brought to Merseyside by former manager Ronald Koeman. However, David Moyes has now shed light on his own involvement in the goalkeeper’s move.
Moyes revealed: “When I lost my job at Sunderland, at the end of the season, I said to Bill (Kenwright): ‘You have got to sign the goalkeeper at Sunderland’ – and he did. He went on and signed him at that time.
“He was a fabulous young goalkeeper at the time. Mature enough in some ways – funnily enough, he wasn’t as giddy in his younger days.
“I thought he was a bit more settled, but he was probably still mad off the pitch! But, seriously, he was a really good goalkeeper.”
After a successful stint with England, Pickford will now refocus on his duties at Everton. The Toffees are set to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this Saturday.
Moyes’ team has had an encouraging start to the new season, winning three out of their first seven matches, which puts them in eighth place in the league table.