Following England’s triumph against Malta on Friday night, Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford chose not to address interview requests amid the club’s recent 10-point deduction, the heaviest sanction ever imposed on a top-flight team, writes the LiverpoolEcho.
Just hours before Gareth Southgate’s squad secured a 2-0 victory at Wembley, it was confirmed that Everton had incurred the significant penalty for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. This punishment resulted in Sean Dyche’s side plummeting from 14th in the table to second-bottom, narrowly ahead of Burnley in 20th place, with only goal difference separating them.
The 10-point deduction was administered by an independent commission following a disciplinary hearing held last month. Everton promptly expressed their shock and disappointment, announcing their intention to appeal the decision. The appeal process is expected to be concluded before the conclusion of the current season.
When approached by members of the media in the Wembley mixed zone on Friday night, Pickford declined to engage, stating, “I wonder what you want to talk about?”
England manager Gareth Southgate conveyed confidence in Pickford’s ability to stay focused despite the off-field turmoil. Southgate remarked, “I haven’t spoken to Jordan about it, but he has coped really well with a couple of really difficult seasons at Everton, where they’ve been in the lower reaches of the league.”
Addressing the potential impact of Everton’s appeal, Southgate added, “If the ultimate decision is like it was today — and I assume there will be some sort of appeal — then it’s a scenario he’s been through. Jordan has been a really important player for us. The rest is speculative, so we’ll just have to see.”