JORD ALMIGHTY
Pickford shows Southgate he’s top stopper
JORDAN PICKFORD warmed up for Qatar by sealing back-to-back clean sheets for the first time since last November with a string of super saves.
Temperatures hit 23C in London during the day, but nobody was hotter than Pickford once the sun set over Craven Cottage.
The Three Lions ace last enjoyed a double blank when he shut out Tottenham and then Albania in a 5-0 England win.
The Everton keeper was far busier yesterday as he produced three stunning saves to twice deny Willian and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Pickford said: “To get a point and a clean sheet away from home is always good. I made some good saves after working hard all week.
“I graft really hard and I like putting on performances.
“The World Cup is around the corner so I’ll keep my head focused.”
There was little hint of the goalless draw as chances came easily to both sides in a free-flowing opening half.
Fulham keeper Bernd Leno showed his reflexes to turn over a Demarai Gray’s fifthminute drive.
Pickford topped that with acrobatic leaps to tip over Willian’s turn and shot from close range then Mitrovic’s header from the resulting corner.
Mitrovic was lucky to escape with a yellow card when he stamped on Amadou Onana midway through the first half.
Everton boss Frank Lampard said: “It was a red card with the parameters what they are. It was a stampy tackle.
“To be fair he put his hand up and it was not meant but I was surprised when it was a yellow.”
If that decision went Fulham’s way, the visitors had the benefit of the doubt when
Idrissa Gueye escaped a penalty shout when he appeared to trip Willian just after half-time.
Fulham boss Marco Silva said: “Willian told me it was a penalty. I have seen it and there was a touch on Willian. I just want to see consistency in the future.
“If that is not a penalty then we do not concede one for a similar thing.”
After that, Pickford was only stretched when he dived full-length to push away Willian’s stinging shot as he cut in.
Silva added: “We were the best team on the pitch by far. We created chances and chances and chances.
“We were not so clinical but give credit to Jordan Pickford as well.”
FULHAM: Leno 8; De Cordova-Reid 6 (Tete (76) 6), Diop 7, Ream 6, Robinson 6; Palhinha 7, Reed 7; Willian 8, Pereira 7 (Cairney (76) 6), Kebano 6 (Wilson (67) 6); Mitrovic 7
EVERTON: Pickford 9; Coleman 6 (Pattinson (65) 6), Coady 7, Tarkowski 7, Mykolenko 6; Onana 6, Gueye 6 (Garner (65) 6); Gordon 6 (Maupay (86) 6), Iwobi 6, Gray 6 (McNeil 75) 6); Calvert-Lewin 6 STAR MAN: Jordan Pickford – Some simply stunning saves to grab a point.
REF: John Brooks 7