Pickford happy with Derby clean sheet

Everton struggled to beat a weakened Liverpool in this season’s third Merseyside Derby clash, but will be happy that the Blues kept a clean sheet. The defence has completely fallen apart at times in 2018, but goalkeeper Jordan Pickford played a pivotal role in maintaining just the second clean sheet of the year and spoke to the Everton website after.

The youngster was called into action twice before the break, first at point blank range from Dominic Solanke before he palmed away a curling shot from James Milner from the corner of the box.

“Milner’s effort was a decent height to be fair. I’ve taken the right step and made a comfortable save.

“It is hard when the shot comes from around a player but I train all week to make those kind of saves on a matchday.

“We got the clean sheet, which we have been after for a while because as a group we needed that.

“We have then had a fair few chances and they’ve had a couple as well, and as a keeper it’s our job to keep those out and Karius has done that when he was needed.”

England manager Gareth Southgate was in the stands, likely to watch the man who he has apparently unofficially anointed as England’s next number one.

“I didn’t know Gareth was there. But it’s a game of football – all I do is try my best and if I keep a clean sheet I am happy.

”I only think about doing my job for the team – that is what I’m there to do.”