Chris Sutton has backed Jack Butland to be England’s first-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup ahead of Everton’s Jordan Pickford.
The BT Sports pundit questioned whether the Toffees 24-year-old was commanding enough in his box to deal with opponents whipping in balls from set-pieces.
“Jordan Pickford’s confidence is exciting but I worry about when the ball is whipped in from a set-piece or corner,” said Sutton, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
“At 6ft 1in, is he commanding enough to handle it?
“A lack of height is not his fault, of course, but opponents could look to expose that.
“For me, the job should go to Butland, what I like in a goalkeeper is presence and calmness, and the 25-year-old has those qualities.”
Pickford has been a regular member of the Toffees first-team ever since arriving at the club from Sunderland in the summer.
The 24-year-old has made 39 appearances this season, conceding 62 goals while keeping nine clean sheets in the process.
OPINION
Sutton seems to suggest that Pickford only being 6ft 1in is what causes him issues when dealing with balls being whipped into his box. Based on this, it’s hard to see how the Toffees goalkeeper can improve in the BT Sports pundit’s eyes. Pickford has proven in his 39 outings this season that he is more than capable of being England’s first-choice at the World Cup. The 24-year-old has flourished at Goodison Park this season and has been an asset to Sam Allardyce’s side. While Pickford may struggle to deal with crosses, the young goalkeeper is a fantastic shot-stopper and that should see him get the nod to be England’s number one in the summer.