Former Everton striker Kevin Campbell believes that Jordan Pickford has been unfairly singled out as part of a “witch hunt” following his challenge that led to Virgil van Dijk requiring anterior cruciate ligament surgery, with injuries labelled “part of the game”.
England's first-choice goalkeeper clattered into the Liverpool centre-back early on in the recent Merseyside derby, forcing the Netherlands international off the pitch with an injury that could see him miss the majority of the 2020-21 season.
In doing so, Pickford drew plenty of negative criticism from pundits and fans alike, with ex-Red Graeme Souness branding the tackle as an “assault”, while some supporters took to the 26-year-old's social media account to send abusive messages – a matter the police are now looking into.