“I enjoy challenges, I enjoy battles,” says Jordan Pickford. That’s good because he certainly had one on his hands over the past couple of months. The last time the England goalkeeper went away on international duty, Everton had just lost an FA Cup quarter-final in shambolic circumstances, going down to a 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, but it was their league performances causing the most concern.
Frank Lampard’s side were three points above the relegation zone and had games in hand to play but the manner of the display at Selhurst Park was that of a broken team, all too aware of the trap door beneath their feet. When a pair of defeats followed to West Ham and fellow relegation candidates Burnley, the outlook was bleak.
