Jordan Pickford's absence from Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Italy and Germany has handed Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson the ideal platform to challenge the Everton goalkeeper's first-choice status - or at very least shore up the number two spot.
Henderson has managed to emerge from Nottingham Forest’s tough start to the season with plenty of praise, despite his side having conceded the third-highest number of goals in the Premier League (17). Yet it’s largely accepted that at this stage of his career, he’s trumped by the experience and ability of Pope and Ramsdale.
Southgate has avoided officially anointing a number two shot-stopper so far, and it may prove tough to do so based on the limited opportunities they will have over the international break. Therefore, it's likely that club form will be factored into the England manager’s decision, and based on that, there’s a case to be made that Pope might just be edging his Arsenal rival.
