Pickford demands Everton response after Brighton defeat

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford says the Blues must end their poor recent home form when Leicester City visit Goodison Park on New Year’s Day.

Pickford, one of few positives for Everton in their 1-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, told evertontv after the match that it is imperative that the Blues rectify this performance, and their run of three home games without a win, with victory against the Foxes:

“Leicester is another tough game and it comes less than 70 hours after we finished at Brighton but we haven’t won for three games at home and need to get that momentum going,”

“If we get that result, it will spark a good start to the new year. We did not get the result we wanted to finish off 2018 but that is football and we have another game to turn it around in a short space of time.

“Yes [we have a lot of goals in the side] but we couldn’t get that one against Brighton. They are a tough side. Leicester will be tough, too, but our target is to get the three points.

“We work hard and we have a lot of depth in our squad and hopefully those things will help us achieve the win.”

After the euphoric high of Everton’s 5-1 win at Burnley on Boxing Day, the Toffees were listless against the Seagulls, who took the lead on 59 minutes through Jürgen Locadia’s close-range after an André Gomes deflection laid the ball straight into the striker’s path.

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Though they certainly created excellent chances, with both Richarlison and Kurt Zouma striking the woodwork following Locadia’s opener, it was a drab, uninspiring showing on the whole from Marco Silva’s men.

Pickford added that it was hard to explain why he and his team-mates failed to carry the momentum from the thumping at Turf Moor into Saturday’s game:

“The result was difficult to take. It is always tough to come away from home but after the momentum we gained against Burnley, the opportunity was there to come and get a result.

“We had a lot of chances and couldn’t convert them. Defensively, I thought we were very good and the goal we conceded was so unfortunate.

“I thought it was offside at first but it deflected off André. That happens and we had chances to score but didn’t take them.”