Pickford Under Pressure in England Keeper Battle

At the City Ground on Tuesday night, the spotlight fell on Dean Henderson. With Jordan Pickford watching from the bench, the Crystal Palace goalkeeper made only his second England start as the Three Lions suffered a 3-1 defeat against Senegal — the first time they’ve conceded three in nearly three years.

Henderson was tested routinely, forced into six saves. He had no chance with the first or third goals but will regret allowing Habib Diarra space for Senegal’s second, the ball squeezed between his legs.

Pickford, who has been England’s No. 1 since 2017 with 76 caps, had started all of Thomas Tuchel’s previous matches in charge. Yet Tuchel appears open to change, having praised Henderson’s contribution to Palace’s FA Cup triumph and highlighting James Trafford’s 29 clean sheets for Burnley.

Speaking about the selection battle, Tuchel said: “He [Pickford] is doing everything to keep his place because he feels that Dean stepped up and found another gear. Dean got a vital title for Palace and he was a big figure. This helped his confidence a lot. Then we have the very young James Trafford who played a fantastic, record-breaking campaign with Burnley and got clean sheets. Hopefully he can prove himself in the Premier League next season – and then the race is on.”

Tuchel made it clear: goalkeeper is a position like any other and “there [is] no exception.”

The England manager also indicated preference for players competing at European level. Pickford’s Everton will not be involved in continental football next season, while Henderson’s Palace are in the Europa League and Trafford, aged just 22, is drawing interest from Champions League sides such as Newcastle.

That could influence Tuchel’s decision with only four international windows left before the next World Cup. Ian Dennis of BBC Radio 5 Live reflected that dynamic, saying: “For the first time in a long time, Jordan Pickford could be facing serious competition going into the World Cup. Pickford won’t be playing European football with Everton, so the other two could close the gap on him.”

Pickford’s record is well-established. With 10 clean sheets at major tournaments, level with Peter Shilton, and a single error leading directly to a goal (as per Opta), his reliability has been his strength. He’s starred in both a World Cup semi-final and two European Championship finals, missing just one match in England’s last 17 outings.

That one absence came last October in a Nations League win over Finland, when Henderson took the gloves under interim boss Lee Carsley and earned his first international cap in years.

Still, Henderson’s role under Oliver Glasner at Palace has elevated his stock. Trafford, meanwhile, continues to grow despite Burnley’s Premier League struggles last season and appears to have won Tuchel’s admiration.

With competition building and Tuchel tasked with delivering a World Cup title in 2026, England’s goalkeeping hierarchy is no longer fixed. The contest is active, and performances — both domestic and international — will matter more than reputation.