Saturday’s Premier League contest at Goodison Park started in homage to Jordan Pickford and ended in pretty much the same way.
Prior to kick-off against Newcastle, the Everton supporters erected a huge banner depicting their goalkeeper with a reminder that he is number one for club and country.
By full-time, the 30-year-old showed precisely why by out-psyching villain-of-the-piece Anthony Gordon with an all-important penalty save to preserve their first clean sheet of the season in the goalless draw.
Both players took endless flak from the opposing supporters throughout the 90 minutes and after a long chat between the pair at the final whistle, it was Pickford who disappeared down the tunnel with a huge grin on his face and a raised fist towards those in the main stand.
“I back myself on penalties and it is the first I have saved for Everton for a while,” Pickford told Sky Sports. “It is a point and a clean sheet and we build on that.”
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.”
Gordon suffered another nightmare return to Goodison Park, jeered loudly when his name was read out before kick-off and the theme continued during the game.
Having left Everton for Newcastle for £45m last January, the 23-year-old came back to the venue for the first time in December but had ‘Gordon, what’s the score?’ ringing in his ears following a heavy 3-0 defeat.
Though they took a point back to Tyneside this time, Gordon will rue the penalty miss, as well as another gilt-edged chance to win it in the second half.
Gordon was one of the shining lights in a disappointing seventh placed finish last season and is understood to be close to agreeing a new deal at St James’ Park, following flirtations with Everton’s Merseyside rivals Liverpool during the summer.
And manager Eddie Howe has backed his player to overcome the miss.
“I think he will be fine,” Howe told BBC Radio 5 Live. “It’s all part of his growth as a footballer. It was emotionally charged and I think it will always be for him to come here. I thought he handled himself well.
“I thought there was real composure in his play. Anyone can miss a penalty. It happens to everybody.”
