Predominant among the plaudits raining down on Gareth Southgate is an appreciation of the England manager’s ability to get the big calls right.

Southgate has altered his team and formation en route to leading the national team to a first major final since 1966.

And at every turn, his judgment has been proved correct.

This capacity to back the right horse is a hallmark of Southgate’s England reign and as far back as November the former international defender was championing Jordan Pickford as the Three Lions’ outstanding goalkeeper.

“We have some competition for places,” said Southgate, “but I would have to say that there is nobody who I think is challenging seriously at the moment to push him out of that position.”

Pickford’s performances at Everton in the second half of last season went under the radar but the 27-year-old was routinely flawless for his club.

He was in charge of every element of his game, equal to strikes from close and long range, commanding the penalty box and communicating decisively.

It would be wrong to suggest Pickford has surfed a wave of form and confidence into the England camp because that would overlook the player's consistency over an extended period. 

The narrative around Pickford’s performances, as he compiles a compelling case to be named goalkeeper of the tournament with only one goal conceded in six matches, is dominated by talk of the player’s sound decision-making and cool exterior.

Plenty of Evertonians will have nodded knowingly on hearing those attributes discussed.

They’ve watched Pickford mature into a first-rate goalkeeper after a transfer from Sunderland in the summer of 2017 – and read insight from the player when he spoke to Everton’s matchday programme at the beginning of this year about sessions with a sports psychologist to refine the mental element of his game.

“We cover a lot of bases: mentality and how to be better in all aspects,” said Pickford.

“He can help me develop my thinking… and learn how to cope with various things and get through sticky patches.

“I want to be the best goalkeeper for me.

“And when I am on top form it gives the lads the strongest opportunity to win games, which puts smiles on fans’ faces.

“It’s something mainly for me – but it affects a lot of other things, which help Everton.

“We speak once a week, sometimes once a fortnight.

“He is always a phone call away, or if we need to do some proper work, we meet up.

“One of my friends used him, so I knew he had a good reputation, and I felt it was something I needed for me to improve.”

Pickford choosing to speak to a professional wasn’t the result of a Eureka moment, a sudden realisation football is played with the head as well as the feet and hands.

He is obsessive about maximising his talent and litters conversations around that subject with mentions of marginal gains.

Even sat on the sofa watching other sports, Pickford is searching for techniques he can employ for his own ends.

The player, who has 19 shutouts in 37 senior international appearances, studies the metronomical approach, for example, of Rafael Nadal, who won last year’s French Open for a record-equalling 20th men’s Grand Slam singles tennis title.

“You have to work off your instinct but it is about having a calm demeanour to make the right decision,” said Pickford.

“There are techniques to help you be calmer and that is something I have been working on.

“I am a little bit calmer in decision making, I think.

“I still have to be demanding of my teammates but never demand in the wrong way.

“I demand to try to help us be our best on the pitch.

“From my position, you can see a lot, so you try to help by giving information and reminders.

“So, I am demanding on that side but I feel a lot calmer in my decisions.

“I watch pretty much everything sports-wise on TV.

“Every sportsperson at their best has a calmness about them.

“Golfers are the prime example – there are a few hotheads but the best players in the world are calm.

“If they play a bad shot, they know they can recover.

“Another good example is Rafa Nadal. I’ve watched him for years, growing up.

“The time he takes for his serves, it is all routine and designed for calmness.

“You can take those aspects from other sports and bring them into football.

“It is about training your brain and being able to get better.”

Southgate handed Pickford his England debut in November 2017, when the Wearsider shutout Germany in a scoreless draw.

He was England Under-21 boss when Pickford first played at that level, too.

From the age-group squad that defeated USA 3-0 in September 2015, only Pickford is in the 26-man party aiming for England’s first tournament success in 55 years.

Pickford went a record-breaking 725 minutes without letting in a goal for England prior to Denmark forward Mikkel Damsgaard's strike in Wednesday's semi-final, when Southgate's team recovered to gradually assume a measure of control and set up Sunday's intriguing clash with Italy.

“It was nice for the gaffer to come out and say that,” Pickford said of his national team manager’s public backing.

“There is a lot of competition but I have been in the England system since I was a very young kid.

“They’ve had faith in me and I’ve never let them down.

“That is down to my hard work as well.

“The gaffer is brilliant at that [supporting players], he sticks by you.”

Southgate is approaching his five-year anniversary as England manager and has encountered any number of testing situations since being appointed in November 2016.

Opting to throw his weight behind Jordan Pickford as the country's number one must count as one of the easier days at work.