Sky Sports pundit Tim Sherwood piled praise on an Everton star after their last-gasp 2-2 draw away to Brentford this afternoon.
Everton 2-2 Bournemouth as Toffees snatch draw
Six games remain now and the European places are still very much in play.
Brentford and Everton arrived at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon separated by nothing more than goal difference, both aware that three points would draw them level with Liverpool in fifth and open up a genuinely realistic route to Champions League football.
Neither managed it — but the afternoon produced enough drama to keep both sets of supporters firmly engaged in the conversation.
Brentford made the perfect start.
Kevin Schade burst through down the left channel inside the opening two minutes, and Jordan Pickford, coming off his line to challenge, brought the attacker down for a clear penalty.
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The Toffees sense a chance to swoop in.
Igor Thiago, fresh from breaking his duck for Brazil during the international break, converted from 12 yards with no fuss. It was his 20th Premier League goal of the season — drawing level with Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo as the club’s most prolific top-flight scorer in a single campaign.
Everton had started slowly but began to find their feet as the half progressed.
Ex-Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher was forced into a fine double save before Beto ultimately got his reward: the striker heading home clinically to draw the visitors level in the 26th minute, a goal that reflected the growing confidence running through David Moyes’ side following their 3-0 win over Chelsea before the international break.
Brentford reasserted their control after the break and grabbed what looked like a winning goal 14 minutes from time.
A shot from Michael Kayode took a deflection off Thiago to wrong-foot Pickford and the ball ended up in the net. It was Thiago’s 21st Premier League goal of the season — outright Brentford record, a moment of individual history in a game that was threatening to be decided by an individual performance.
Thiago is attracting serious interest ahead of the summer, and it is clear as day why that is.
But Everton refused to accept defeat.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall buried a stoppage-time equaliser to snatch a point for the Toffees, denying Brentford a result that would have moved them level with Liverpool and giving Everton a share of the spoils that their second-half endeavour arguably merited.
However, Dewsbury-Hall hasn’t been their only hero of a memorable campaign.
Tim Sherwood praises Jordan Pickford after Everton draw
On Sky Soccer Saturday, Sherwood turned his attention to Pickford after the final whistle, and despite the early penalty that had put Everton behind, the former Tottenham manager was full of praise for the England goalkeeper’s overall contribution this term and today.
Sherwood told Pickford in a post-match Soccer Saturday interview that he was having a “fantastic season” — pointing to the broader picture rather than one costly moment at the start.
The numbers back it up.
Everton have kept 11 clean sheets this season, second only to Arsenal’s 15 in the entire division.
Pickford’s consistency behind a well-organised defensive unit has been one of the defining features of their campaign, and with a World Cup on the horizon this summer, a season of this quality puts him in strong standing as England’s first choice heading to North America.
The point still leaves both clubs in a frustrating position.
Brentford and Everton remain seventh and eighth respectively, three points behind Liverpool in fifth with seven games to go.
The window has not closed, but afternoons like this one, where three points slipped through the fingers of both sides, will be looked back on when the final standings are confirmed.
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The Toffees are one of a few suitors.
