Jordan Pickford sends message to Thomas Tuchel as he prepares to reach England milestone

Jordan Pickford was backmost successful extremity against Greece and posted 1 of his champion performances successful an England garment for immoderate clip - aft being axed for the team's past crippled against Finland

If helium needed to, Jordan Pickford reminded Thomas Tuchel - assuming helium was watching from afar - wherefore helium remains England’s fig one.

While Lee Carsley’s young guns caught the oculus successful a hugely awesome triumph successful Athens, it was the elder nonrecreational successful extremity who gave them the level for victory, pulling disconnected 3 outstanding saves, a mates erstwhile the Three Lions were lone a extremity to the good.

And that made it a hugely satisfying nighttime for Pickford, who had been AXED for England’s erstwhile game, a 3-1 triumph against Finland successful Helsinki.

Dean Henderson made his debut successful that lucifer but Pickford was backmost successful his acquainted presumption against the Greeks and posted 1 of his champion performances successful an England garment for immoderate time.

And his quality means helium could present bask a landmark infinitesimal if helium keeps his spot for Sunday’s crippled against the Republic of Ireland astatine Wembley connected Sunday.

If Carsley sticks with Pickford, the 30-year-old volition triumph his 73rd cap, putting him level with the large Gordon Banks connected the database of England goalkeeping appearances. And helium would past beryllium down lone David Seaman, Joe Hart and, of course, the uncatchable Peter Shilton.

Pickford is clerkly alert of the numbers, saying: "One more. I’ll get prepared and hopefully get the telephone for Sunday and adjacent Gordon Banks. I conscionable privation to support pushing and getting amended arsenic a goalkeeper.

"I cognize 75 is what Harty and David Seaman got, truthful that is different people successful my sights. It’s astir focusing and keeping getting better. I cognize the numbers but instrumentality each crippled arsenic it comes, it’s astir performing and wearing the garment with pridefulness and passion. There is thing much I bask than playing for England.

The usually humble Pickford was intelligibly delighted with his show successful the Olympic Stadium, going on: “I thought my all-round crippled was good, playing out, coming for crosses, making saves erstwhile called upon. I thought it was a bully show from me.”

And helium was besides delighted with the team’s show aft a troubled build-up to what was a must-win Nations League crippled against the in-form Greeks.

Pickford said: "As a group, we weren’t blessed with the Wembley decision (against Greece successful October), truthful it was a large all-round performance.

"We should beryllium winning those games astatine location truthful we had a work to spell implicit to Greece and instrumentality connected the situation against a hostile assemblage and a squad not beaten for 3 years. It was a bully performance."

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