Everton teammates standing behind Pickford

Everton fell to a heartbreaking defeat yesterday in the Merseyside Derby, conceding a goal in time added on. However, it was the manner of how Liverpool’s winner came about that has football fans abuzz.

Jordan Pickford mistimed an errant volley that landed on the bar, bounced again and then fell kindly for Divock Origi to head home. His mistake has seen quite a fallout on social media as can be expected, but manager Marco Silva immediately after the game spoke about how he was confident in the goalkeeper’s abilities and backed him to bounce back.

Now more players have stepped up and commended the young goalie, whose error yesterday was just the first mistake in 52 games for the Toffees that has landed up in his own net.

Captain for the day Seamus Coleman went first -

“There’s a little bit of disbelief, more so that it was a freak goal,’ Coleman said. ‘It’s a shanked ball back in by Van Dijk and it’s a bit of a loopy, difficult one for Jordan. Unfortunately these things happen but it happened at the wrong time for us.

“It’s not just one player, we all make mistakes. I’ve made mistakes this season, other players have, but it’s always hard when a goalkeeper makes mistakes because it always gets noticed that little bit more.

“But Jordan has won us more points than he has lost us and that will be the case throughout the season. Jordan is a top player with a strong mentality and although it was not an ideal place for it to happen it has happened and he will move on.”

Central defender Michael Keane also was in support for Pickford -

“We feel for Jordan, he’s been absolutely brilliant for us and he’s got a bit of bad luck there,” said Keane. “He’ll be fine. He is one of the mentally strongest players I know.

“I’m just gutted for everyone in the changing room and the fans, as well.

“It’s difficult to take. I thought we played really well throughout the match. We caused them problems and we were solid at the back. I think we could have scored a couple of goals – they had chances, too, and Jordan made some great saves.

“We tried to get on the ball, keep possession and create chances and we did – in the first half we had a few. We played well enough to win the game but we need to start being more ruthless at these places.

“Obviously, they were going to have some pressure. They’re at home, they’re a top team, so we knew we would have to soak that up at the right times and I thought we did that very well.”

Left back Lucas Digne probably summed it up best as fans try to put this behind with another 24 games in the Premier League season to come.