Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will miss England’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against San Marino, Albania and Poland due to an abdominal injury.
The England ‘keeper was forced off just before half time in Everton’s defeat to Burnley on Saturday.
He has since had a scan and it has been revealed that he has suffered an injury to his oblique abdominal muscle.
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The Toffees confirmed via their official website on Tuesday that Pickford will be unavailable:
“Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will miss England’s trio of World Cup qualifying fixtures this month after sustaining an injury to his oblique abdominal muscle.
“Pickford, 27, was forced off on 43 minutes during Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Burnley and underwent a scan on Monday.
“He is ruled out of Everton’s FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City on Saturday and England’s games against San Marino, Albania and Poland, as manager Gareth Southgate’s team begin their bid to reach the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
“Pickford, who has made 154 Everton appearances since joining from Sunderland in July 2017, will remain under the care of the Club’s medical staff at USM Finch Farm during the forthcoming international break.”
Pickford came through the ranks with Sunderland and he enjoyed a fantastic season with them in 2016/17. They were relegated down to the Championship at the end of that campaign, but the goalkeeper shone for his boyhood club.
His form that year tempted Everton to splash out around £30m to sign him. This deal made him the most expensive English goalkeeper of all time.
The 27-year-old has been a mainstay for the Toffees since his move to Merseyside. He immediately inserted himself as their new number one and he has totted up over 150 appearances for them in three-and-a-half years.
During this time, Pickford has also been England’s first-choice shot-stopper. He has been capped 30 times since he made his debut in 2017. He started every game at the 2018 World Cup as England reached the semi-finals.
Pickford’s injury will give Dean Henderson and Nick Pope an opportunity to impress. West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is likely to take his place in the squad.
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