Pickford & Branthwaite named in preliminary England Euro 2024 squad
Everton duo Jordan Pickford and Jarrad Branthwaite have been named in Gareth Southgate’s preliminary 33-man England squad for the 2024 European Championship.
For Pickford, this represents a well-deserved reward for his consistent performances as Everton’s number one.
The 30-year-old was a mainstay in Sean Dyche’s side that secured Premier League survival against all odds, keeping 13 clean sheets in 38 league appearances.
Having featured in the last three major tournaments for England, he’ll be looking to solidify his position as the team’s starting goalkeeper for the upcoming Euros in Germany.
Branthwaite, on the other hand, receives his second call-up to the senior squad.
His impressive displays in the heart of Everton’s defence haven’t gone unnoticed, and he could be in line to make his international debut in the upcoming friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland.
Branthwaite established himself as a crucial part of the Toffees backline alongside countryman James Tarkowski, recording three goals and 12 clean sheets in 35 Premier League appearances.
The 21-year-old’s underlying numbers are nothing short of exceptional, winning a remarkable 67% of his ground duels. He was also a dominant force in the air, recording a 68% success rate in aerial duels.
Branthwaite and Pickford were instrumental in Everton’s defensive solidity this season.
The Toffees finished the season with the fourth-best defensive record in the Premier League, conceding 51 goals – only Arsenal (29), Manchester City (34) and Liverpool (41) can boast a lesser tally.
Southgate will have some tough decisions to make when finalising his 26-man squad for the Euros ahead of the June 8 deadline.
The tournament kicks off on June 14 but England will get the ball rolling on their campaign two days later when they take on Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.
However, Everton fans will be eagerly watching the upcoming friendlies, hoping to see Pickford maintain his starting role and Branthwaite potentially make his international debut.