Jordan Pickford: Making history, silencing his critics, player of the tournament?

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is in possibly the form of his life and he's getting the praise he deserves.

Jordan Pickford: Making history, silencing his critics, player of the tournament?
ROME, ITALY - JULY 03: (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

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By Ashley Edwards

It could be coming home and England's Jordan Pickford has been in fine form, helping The Three Lions to remain as the only team at Euro 2020 not to concede a goal.

Pickford and his teammates have now secured five consecutive clean sheets in this years tournament after their 4-0 win over Ukraine. Before the competition started England also kept two clean sheets against Austria and Romania, stretching their run to seven games without conceding a goal, the first time since Gordon Banks did it in 1966.

He has also become the first goalkeeper to keep five clean sheets across the first five games of a European Championships.

That's 662 minutes without conceding a goal. The debate before the tournament was whether the Everton goalkeeper should keep the number one shirt or whether Burnley's Nick Pope or Manchester United's Dean Henderson should start. Pope was ruled out before the tournament started and Henderson withdrew from the squad after picking up an injury, but it was clear that Gareth Southgate's number one was always going to be Pickford.

  • Pickford performs to silence his critics

The 27-year-old was heavily criticised this season by Everton and England fans for his performances this campaign, despite being one of Everton's best players since Christmas.

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Pickford finished joint sixth in the clean sheets table this season. He accumulated 10 clean sheets in 31 games. 

At one point Carlo Ancelotti dropped the shot-stopper as his form dipped earlier in the season. But, with Pope, Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale and Sam Johnstone all performing well and fighting for England's number one spot Pickford knew he had to up his game.

His second half of the Premier League season was enough to secure his starting spot. And he hasn't disappointed, he's provided nine saves so far in this tournament with every one celebrated like a goal.

His best save was most likely his reflex save against Germany. The England keeper quickly reacted to divert Kai Havertz thunderbolt away from the net.

The England team are making history and so is Pickford. The knock out win over the Germans was the first in a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup final.

Many pundits, fans and players have been praising the England player for his performances so far. The likes of Gary Neville have taken to Twitter.

Has he been England's player of the tournament so far? Arguably, yes. Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling have all been exceptional too. Maguire missed the first few games as he was recovering from his injury but since coming back into the side the United captain has been a brick at the back. 

Shaw has delivered for England in defence and attack, he's picked up three assists in his last two games and has silenced his critics, or should we say critic: Jose Mourinho. 

Sterling has scored three times in Euro 2020, scoring the only goals in the 1-0 wins over Croatia and Czech Republic as well as scoring the opening goal against Germany.

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Pickford has kept all of his Euro 2020 opponents out and has commanded from the back. Whilst also (rarely) giving some of his team mates a stern word when they have slipped up. 

Could football come home? Would winning Euro 2020 make Pickford England's second best ever goalkeeper? Two games to go, two more clean sheets? Who knows, but what we do know is that these England players and Pickford deserve immense credit for their efforts.