Jordan Pickford says Everton’s ambition “must be to beat the best”, as Marco Silva’s side prepare to tackle champions Manchester City at Goodison Park on Saturday.
The Blues beat Sheffield Wednesday to make Carabao Cup progress in midweek and have won two of their three home Premier League contests this term.
A run of seven unbeaten Goodison games nevertheless stalled against Sheffield United last week.
Pickford concedes Everton must be flawless if they are to topple a City team he considers one of the world’s finest this weekend – but is drawing confidence from recent successes against last season’s top-six teams.
Pep Guardiola’s side has scored 24 goals at a rate of four per game this term and hit 201 across the past two seasons.
“They are the best side in England and one of the best in the world and the ambition at Everton must be to beat the best,” Pickford told evertonfc.com.
“Everyone knows it is an extremely tough game but we can make it tough for them as well.
“We have the ability up top to create chances and be clinical.
“Our defence has been very good at home and didn’t let in a goal for seven games [prior to defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 this month].
“If all that comes together on one evening we can get the result.
“The style of their play; their tempo and pressing, they are in your faces all the time and the lads never get a breather.
“But we have the ability to match them and need to have the confidence we can win.”
Pickford kept clean sheets in victories over elite trio Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United last term after resolving to adopt a more controlled manner on the field.
The 25-year-old spoke with Marco Silva about his demeanour during games – and admits his standing as Everton and England number one comes with the responsibility to be “a leader on the pitch”.
Pickford, who has played all Everton’s 82 Premier League matches since joining from Sunderland in 2017, is employing the same attitude on international duty.
Equally, the goalkeeper insists Everton’s style of football under Silva bears the same hallmarks as Gareth Southgate’s progressive formula with England.
“The manager here has a model of playing from the back and England have done it since I’ve been involved,” said Pickford.
“It comes down to my game management, sensing the feeling in the moment of the game.
“You have to do it at the right time.
“If we have been under the cosh for five minutes, then it’s probably not the time.
“I am the number one, so I have to be seen as a leader on the pitch.
“I have to make the right decisions and command my line and I think the manager sees me as a leader.
“He talks to me about different scenarios in games and I can help my teammates because as a goalkeeper you have a view of the whole pitch.
“It is not so much that we’re having one-on-one discussions but we talk in training and he has a word with me before we go on the pitch.
“I have to be fully focussed and in the zone during games. I can’t always be too calm but I have to be composed at the right times.”
Everton finished last season in eighth after picking up 21 points from their final 11 games.
Silva added seven full internationals to his squad during the close season and is steadily introducing those players into his side.
“We are trying to progress, we have a lot of top-quality players and incredible ability in the squad,” added Pickford.
“Everyone is fighting for positions.
“The longer you’re here, the more you get used to the Club and know its ins and outs.
“You try to learn little things as you go.
“I feel we are going places.”
Pickford was talking to Everton’s matchday programme for an exclusive and wide-ranging interview which will feature in this weekend's edition for the visit of Manchester City.
The Everton matchday programme, which also features interviews with Gylfi Sigurdsson and ex-Blues midfielder Tobias Linderoth and priced at £3.50, will be on sale around Goodison Park and at various city centre outlets.
It will also be available from the Everton One and Everton Two megastores. Click here to order online.
