Pickford Endures Familiar Derby Frustration Despite Light-Hearted Reaction to Liverpool Taunts
Jordan Pickford has long been a controversial figure in the Merseyside derby from a Liverpool perspective.
The Everton shot-stopper drew widespread criticism from Reds fans after his reckless challenge sidelined Virgil van Dijk with an ACL injury at Goodison Park nearly five years ago. He also escaped punishment for a wild tackle on Darwin Núñez during last season’s clash at Anfield and was widely accused of blatant time-wasting in a 2022 encounter that ended in a 2-0 loss for the Toffees.
While those incidents sparked fury among Liverpool supporters, they have fonder memories of Pickford’s infamous blunder in the dying moments of the December 2018 derby, when his failed clearance allowed Divock Origi to score a dramatic winner, triggering ecstatic celebrations from the Kop.
Pickford Takes the Banter on the Chin
Back at Anfield on Saturday for another derby showdown, Pickford once again found himself the target of mockery from the home crowd. Reds fans serenaded him with chants like, “You couldn’t touch the bar with Jordan Pickford’s arms,” and invoked the name of Divock Origi, referencing that unforgettable late goal in 2018.
As reported by Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo, the England keeper appeared to take the banter in stride. Before the second half began, he even clapped towards the Kop as he made his way to the goalmouth, showing a good-natured response to the teasing.
Still, while Pickford may have handled the crowd’s jabs with a smile, Liverpool once again got the better of him on the pitch, claiming a fifth straight Premier League win to continue their perfect start to the season.
A Few Key Saves, But No Redemption
Despite the loss, Pickford did make a couple of key contributions for Everton, notably racing off his line to deny Mohamed Salah in a dangerous one-on-one situation. His efforts kept the scoreline from being worse, even if they weren’t enough to change the result.
To his credit, Pickford has recorded six clean sheets in his 19 Merseyside derby appearances. However, only one of those has come in his last six matches against Liverpool, who have now won five consecutive home games against Everton for the first time since 1937.
While Pickford laughed off the chants, another derby defeat will have stung—particularly given his history with the fixture. For many Liverpool fans, though, it’ll take more than a smile to forget what happened to van Dijk—and to a lesser extent, Núñez—in past meetings.
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