Gary Neville and Ian Wright were both adamant that Jordan Pickford should have done better in preventing Norway from scoring their opener during England’s quarter-final clash in Miami.
The Everton goalkeeper misjudged a flying effort from Andreas Schjeldrup that stretched the netting in the top corner, allowing Norway to steal first-half momentum and put the Three Lions under pressure.
‘Jordan Pickford’s not going to want to see that again,’ Neville stressed on ITV during half-time analysis. ‘Is it a cross?
‘He has to save that. Does he pull his arm away?’
Ian Wright agreed with his broadcasting co-star, suggesting that Pickford’s comparatively diminutive stature had been in play.
‘Absolutely a taller ‘keeper would save that,’ Wright added. ‘He’s got his angles wrong.’
Jordan Pickford could only watch Andreas Schjelderup’s goal fly into the back of the net
Wright also called Pickford’s attempt to keep the ball out of his net ‘poor’.
‘You have to put your hand on that,’ he continued. ‘You can’t take your hand away.
‘If a ball is coming in your vicinity and you have the opportunity to touch it… you have to.’
Pickford was given an initial let-off moments before the half-time break, when Jude Bellingham equalised in dramatic fashion to wrench momentum back from their opponents.
But in the 54th minute, Pickford again struggled to contain a forceful Norwegian attack, in this case from the corner flag.
Pickford made the initial save, but spilled the ball for Torbjorn Heggem to ricochet it back into the net, pulling Norway back into the lead.
However, referee Clement Turpin was quick to the VAR monitor after Erling Haaland was spotted pushing future team-mate Elliott Anderson in the build-up, eventually chalking off the goal in favour of a re-taken corner.
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