And then there was one.
Gareth Southgate has reportedly decided on his goalkeeper for this summer’s World Cup, having experimented with both Jordan Pickford and Jack Butland in the recent pair of friendly games.
Pickford started in goal for England’s 1-0 victory over the Netherlands last week while Stoke City’s Butland got the chance against Italy on Tuesday night.
The Mirror reports that a decision has already been reached on who will be between the sticks for England in Russia and, apparently, Pickford has won out.
Pickford’s distribution is said to have been the deciding factor and, barring injury or a loss of form for Everton, he is expected to be the last line of defence in the Three Lions’ World Cup opener against Tunisia on June 18.
Butland will act as Pickford’s understudy while Joe Hart can possibly consider himself lucky to even be third-choice given his struggles at West Ham this season.
Burnley’s Nick Pope joined the England squad in the latest international break but he will not be taken to Russia while Pope’s clubmate Tom Heaton has yet to recover from injury.
Pickford has had an up-and-down debut season for Everton, after making a £25 million move from Sunderland last June.
While he has managed to pull off several feats of goalkeeping brilliance for the Toffees, he was criticised by Joey Barton in November and was rumoured to have been involved in a feud with Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye after failing to come out quickly enough to deal with a Burnley move earlier this month.
