Everton host Manchester United on Monday looking to do the double over them for the first time in a Premier League season since 2013-14. David Moyes’s side won 1-0 at Old Trafford in November courtesy of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half goal. They had been reduced to ten men when Idrissa Gueye was sent off for slapping team-mate Michael Keane after 13 minutes and, ultimately, were indebted to Jordan Pickford’s wonder save to deny Joshua Zirkzee’s header.
Eighty minutes have elapsed. United, then under coach Ruben Amorim, are pushing for an equaliser. Bruno Fernandes switches play with a pass to left back Luke Shaw, who is ten yards outside the penalty area.
Jordan Pickford No matter if we’ve only got ten men or not, if you’re winning, you know they’re going to have moments as the game goes on. Looking at that we are dropping into an eight and one formation instead of a four-four-one! When the pressure’s coming, you know you’re going to have to pull out a save. It might be one, two, three or four. It doesn’t matter how many. You’re going to have to be there for the team.
In this situation you read the body language of Luke. I wouldn’t expect him to shoot from there. It’s more of a box-cross position. I am thinking, ‘Can I come and claim a cross or can I not?’ The delivery from Luke makes your mind up, because if the ball’s floating, it’s your ball. The delivery is your cue to make a decision. When it leaves his foot, that’s when you make your decision [Pickford clicks fingers] with I can go, or I’ve got to stay at home. It’s a great ball, so I know I can’t come and get it.
Zirkzee is standing behind Keane when Shaw picks him out near the penalty spot. He sends a powerful header towards the right side of the Everton goal.
JP Initially, I probably started a yard too high because I went forward and then I took two steps back. Every ’keeper’s different. If I can’t come and deal with it, then, because I know I’m agile and I’m fast across my goal, I’ll try and revert back. It’s all about trying to get set on impact [when Zirkzee heads it]. So even if you’re out of position, try to be set on impact. A lot of goals go in when you’re not set.
Because I was probably a yard too high, I was a little bit late on setting, but then I’ve balanced off, got a big step in to rise and fully extend.
Pickford enjoys the moment as he denies Manchester United a leveller at Old Trafford
RICHARD SELLERS/SPORTSPHOTO/ALLSTAR VIA GETTY IMAGES
The reaction time from Zirkzee’s header to Pickford’s save is 0.8 seconds, but as he flings his 6ft 1in frame full length he produces a match-winning contribution.
JP At that moment, it just comes naturally if you know what I mean. I’m not processing it like [I have explained it]. It probably comes down to my natural ability and my power to make the save. The power to push off [my left foot and dive to the right] — that is just gym work, co-ordination and agility really. Then it is about your hand position. On impact, my hands are in front of me, so when I dive I can get the elevation.
We won’t re-enact that save before this game, but that sort of situation is something we’ll look at. Lucs [David Lucas, the Everton goalkeeper coach] will put a session on before the game where it’ll be a crossing position and a cross is coming in.
There’ll be mannequins, but then, for example, there’ll be Travs [Mark Travers, Everton’s No2 goalkeeper] and Kingy [Tom King, Everton’s No3 goalkeeper]. Travs might be in the middle of the goal, Kingy might be back post. If I can’t come for it, then they’re alive on that action, so it’s not just a cross and it just goes through to me.
Pickford lunges to his right …
JAY BARRATT/AMA/GETTY IMAGES
… his eyes are fixed on the ball …
THE TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER BRADLEY ORMESHER
… the goalkeeper pulls off an award-winning save
THE TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER BRADLEY ORMESHER
The point at which the ball leaves Shaw’s foot to the moment Pickford repels the chance lasts little more than three seconds. Zirkzee thinks he has equalised, while Everton left back Vitalii Mykolenko puts his hands on his head in disbelief at his team-mate’s intervention.
JP To be fair, it was a worldie [laughing]. I’ll give myself that one. You half-know where you are in the goal. When I’ve touched it, I’m praying, ‘Please go around the post!’
Pickford denies Azpilicueta in 2022 with another remarkable stop
EPA/PETER POWELL
Pickford’s heroics for Everton have long been commonplace. A stunning save to deny Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta in another 1-0 victory in May 2022 was crucial to keep the club in the Premier League.
JP They are two different saves. It’s about keeping the ball out of the net as much as you can. For the Azpilicueta one, we talked about where we were as a club, where we were in the league table at the time, and about the pressure to make that save.
It would have gone 1-1 with ten minutes to go, and that’s when you know the arrows would have probably come at you! The momentum changes and they might have got more chances. That save kind of took the sting out of it.
Whereas the Zirkzee one, we knew we were going to keep coming all the way until the end. I don’t know if I had any more saves after that in the game, but I’m going to be ready when called upon.
Everton v Manchester United
Premier League
Monday, 8pm
TV Sky Sports