00:00Everton have sharply hit back at Lee Dixon after the ITV Pundit questioned why Jordan Pickford has not left for what he called a bigger club.
00:10Dixon made the comment while on commentary duty for England's 5-0 win over Latvia, which sealed qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
00:19The former Arsenal defender suggested Pickford, who has been England's undisputed number one since Gareth Southgate's arrival, might be better suited to playing at a higher level than Everton currently operate.
00:33The Toffees wasted no time in responding. Posting on X, the club wrote nine top-flight titles, five FA Cups, one European title, one of football's most passionate fan bases, a world-class new stadium.
00:45Everton FC, a big club, past, present and future, at Lee Dixon.
00:51The message underlined the Merseyside outfit's proud history, reminding Dixon that only Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City have won more top-flight titles.
01:03While the Toffees have struggled to consistently compete for honours in recent years, their last European campaign came in 2017.
01:11And their last trophy was the 1995 FA Cup. The club continues to view themselves as one of English football's great institutions.
01:21Pickford, meanwhile, has come central to that identity. The 31-year-old recently made history by keeping eight consecutive clean sheets for England and remains one of the Premier League's most reliable goalkeepers.
01:33Far from seeking a move away, Pickford has now reaffirmed his commitment by signing a new four-year contract that will keep him at Everton until 2029.
01:43It could see him spend more than 12 years on Merseyside since joining from Sunderland in 2017.
01:49Speaking after England's win, Pickford said,
01:51Dixon's comments may have sparked debate, but Everton's swift response and Pickford's decision to stay, underlying a shared belief that the Toffees' stature remains significant throughout English football.
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