Friday 15 March 2019 14:45, UK
Jordan Pickford has the full confidence of his manager for both club and country, according to Everton boss Marco Silva.
Everton and England's No 1, Pickford, has come under added scrutiny for his performances in recent weeks, having made costly errors in the 3-2 defeat at Newcastle last weekend.
He was a key player in Gareth Southgate's side as they reached the World Cup semi-finals in the summer, and has kept his place in the squad for the opening Euro 2020 qualifiers next week.
"I understand what people are saying about Jordan," Silva said ahead of Everton's visit of Chelsea on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
"Jordan has all my confidence, like my other goalkeepers.
"He has the confidence of the national team coach also. We are here to get him better every day.
"In some moments everybody is happy with you, in other moments people speak not so good things about you.
"It's normal in football. They [critics] are the same people 10 months ago who were celebrating the good performances from Jordan.
"I want Jordan to keep working in the same way, with the same desire...with more emotional balance in some moments if he can do."
Asked whether Pickford should be taken out of the side following his mistakes, Silva said: "Jordan was our number one choice but I have the same confidence with Maarten [Stekelenburg] and Joao [Virginia].
"I have to take the decision again for the next match."
I was never aggressive, never disrespectful with the referee.
Silva insists he did not act in an aggressive or disrespectful manner as he awaits the outcome after being charged with improper conduct by the FA.
He confronted referee Lee Mason and his assistants on the pitch after his side let slip a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Newcastle last weekend.
"I didn't receive the answer yet," said Silva. "Of course, what they say to me or what they did, I'm here to respect. I ask them and now I'm waiting.
"In that moment I wasn't happy, first of all with ourselves and with some decisions, also. But I was never aggressive, never disrespectful with the referee, also.
"I didn't use abusive words or something like that and in that moment I wasn't happy with the two decisions. I was clear with what I said to the referee and to the assistant about the situation."
