Everton 0-0 Newcastle: Pickford penalty save from Gordon ‘double bluff’

Two seasons ago, Pickford made clever use of notes on a water bottle to save James Maddison’s penalty late in the season, in a draw that went a long way to keeping Everton in the top-flight and sending Leicester down.

This time, he just needed to dig into the memory bank from last weekend when Gordon converted a penalty for the Magpies against champions Manchester City.

The Newcastle forward had scored all of his last five spot-kicks and tried to con his England team-mate by suggesting he was going to go left on this occasion.

Pickford, though, was equal to it, making a fine save low to his left which sent the Everton supporters into a riot, wildly celebrating the miss from their former player and breaking out into loud chants of “England’s number one.”

The stop will have been made sweeter for Pickford after being given ‘the treatment’ by Newcastle supporters all game, baiting him with insults for his Sunderland roots.

Pickford said: “It’s like trying to double bluff each other and I have got the better of him tonight. It was a big moment and I am pleased it helped us get the draw.

“To be fair, I watched the game last week and he reversed it against Ederson and I fancied him going keeper’s left.

“It hit my knee and straight off my beak [nose]. I think he will be disappointed but I am there to make the save and that’s what I did.”

Toffees manager Sean Dyche added: “He [Pickford] has had his fair share of question marks this season. Part of the resilience of being a top footballer is dealing with that and seeing it through.

“That is part of what you do – he is a very good professional and shown that with his performance today.”