Legendary Everton goalkeeper has some advice for Jordan Pickford | OneFootball

Everton legend Neville Southall has urged Jordan Pickford to take inspiration from his critics.

Pickford has come under fire in recent days after allowing a Christian Benteke strike to squirm under him during last weekend’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace.

And after the England goalkeeper admitted criticism of his performances from the likes of Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville “does piss you off”, Southall has offered some sage words of advice.

“If it was someone like Peter Schmeichel criticising you you’d perhaps think ‘fair enough’ but I wouldn’t lose any sleep over the others,” the 1995 FA Cup winner told the Liverpool Echo.

“Gary Neville has a good knowledge of football and all the others have but you’ve got to remember there was a fella behind all of them who made them look good.

“The criticism just goes with the job doesn’t it?

“The best way for a goalkeeper to answer anyone is to play well, that’s it. You don’t have to say anything, you don’t have to do anything else. Just go and do your job.

“Stick what the pundits have said about you up on the wall in the training ground or the dressing room above where you get changed and say ‘today I’m going to prove them wrong.’

“Get so good that they come back to you and say: ‘Yes, I was wrong, you’re great!’”

Carlo Ancelotti’s side are currently on their winter break and don’t play again until they travel to face Arsenal on 23 February.

And with Euro 2020 coming up in the summer, Southall has urged Pickford to use his time off to reflect on his recent displays.

“Jordan has got a choice to make. He either moans about it or gets on and changes it because you can change people’s opinions with your performances,” added the 61-year-old.

“If I worried about what everyone said about me, I wouldn’t be here.

“Unfortunately when you play in a position where one mistake can ruin the whole game for you and your team and the fans’ weekend that’s just the way it is.

“If anybody criticised me and I’d go away and think: ‘Have they got a point? Maybe they have, maybe they’ve not.’

“The best way to respond is to make them eat their words and Jordan can only do that by playing well.”