Everton star’s reward for Man City heroics is a replacement
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Every once in a while, a goalkeeper pulls off the kind of performance that resembles a one-man brick wall.
He’ll make save after save after save to help his team win or draw, frustrating the opposition that his super-human powers for protecting the net just happened to arrive when they played him.
Against Manchester City last time out, Maarten Stekelenburg had that kind of day. The veteran Dutch gloveman thwarted Pep Guardiola’s men, making seven saves in total and stopping two Citizens penalties as the Toffees held on for a 1-1 draw.
Usually in that situation, the goalkeeper is lauded for about a week, maybe even two, sometimes until he makes a clanger that reminds everybody he’s human.
For Stekelenburg though, he’s woken up to news that he might be replaced between the sticks the very next morning.
According to the Sun on Sunday, Ronald Koeman wants to sign Sunderland keeper Jordan Pickford as his countryman’s long-term successor at Goodison Park.
Pickford himself has enjoyed a stellar top-flight campaign while deputising for the injured Vito Mannone at the Stadium of Light.
Only three men have made more Premier League saves than the 24 the England U21 international has registered through the opening eight games of the season.
Stekelenburg turned 34 in September and won’t likely hold on to the number one jersey for too long if Pickford arrives and continues to shine.
After sharing the spoils with the Premier League favourites, we make Everton 8/1 to finish in the top four this season.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
