Henderson fails to stake claim in Pickford absence

It was a uncommon show - England's first-choice goalkeeper Jordan Pickford connected the bench.

Thomas Tuchel handed Dean Henderson a accidental to impressment successful the Three Lions' affable against Senegal connected Tuesday night.

But Henderson's commencement coincided with England conceding 3 goals for the archetypal clip successful astir 3 years, with Senegal moving retired 3-1 winners.

It was a engaged evening for Henderson astatine Nottingham Forest's City Ground, the Crystal Palace keeper called into making six saves.

While helium was helpless to halt Senegal's archetypal and 3rd goals, Henderson volition beryllium disappointed helium allowed Habib Diarra the clip and abstraction to tee up his changeable and compression the shot done his legs for the visitors' second.

But is Henderson starting successful extremity a motion of things to come?

Everton goalkeeper Pickford has been a mainstay successful the Three Lions extremity since making his debut successful 2017, and started each Tuchel's erstwhile 3 games successful complaint of England - taking his caps to 76.

However, the German caput manager hinted astatine a changing of the defender past week.

After Henderson played an instrumental relation successful Crystal Palace's historical FA Cup win, and James Trafford - a reported people for Newcastle - amassed a stunning 29 cleanable sheets for Burnley, some volition consciousness they merit a changeable astatine the fig 1 shirt.

The elemental reply is yes, if Tuchel's quotes are thing to spell by, that is.

Tuchel precocious insisted it would beryllium a "fight for each position", adding determination was "no exception" for goalkeepers.

The England brag went connected to say: "He [Pickford] is doing everything to support his spot due to the fact that helium feels that Dean stepped up and recovered different gear. Dean got a captious rubric for Palace and helium was a large figure.

"This helped his assurance a lot. Then we person the precise young James Trafford who played a fantastic, record-breaking run with Burnley and got cleanable sheets. Hopefully helium tin beryllium himself successful the Premier League adjacent play - and past the contention is on."

With conscionable 4 planetary camps remaining earlier the World Cup adjacent summer, Tuchel indispensable instrumentality his ideas and benignant of play imminently.

Tuchel's remit was elemental - to triumph the 2026 World Cup. In bid to bash so, helium indispensable beryllium ruthless, and that could good commencement with his prime of goalkeeper.

Tuchel besides stated it would beryllium "ideal" if his keeper was competing successful European contention for his nine - thing Pickford volition not beryllium doing for Everton adjacent season.

His rivals for the fig 1 shirt, however, whitethorn good bash so. Henderson volition beryllium lining up successful the Europa League for Crystal Palace, portion Burnley's Trafford is reportedly admired by Champions League contenders Newcastle.

"For the archetypal clip successful a agelong time, Jordan Pickford could beryllium facing superior contention going into the World Cup," BBC Radio 5 Live commentator Ian Dennis said.

"Pickford won't beryllium playing European shot with Everton, truthful the different 2 could adjacent the spread connected him."

England's second-most-capped men's goalkeeper, down all-time grounds holder Peter Shilton, Pickford has been a reliable performer for his country. He has lone made 1 mistake starring straight to a extremity (as classified by Opta), portion his full of 10 cleanable sheets astatine large tournaments is simply a associated Three Lions grounds alongside Shilton.

That consistency has meant helium has started 76 of England's 100 games since his debut successful 2017, including 15 of the past 17.

Pickford whitethorn not person the acquisition of playing European shot astatine nine level, but has featured successful 2 European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final for England.

The lone lucifer Pickford missed successful the past 12 months was October's 3-1 triumph astatine Finland successful the Nations League, erstwhile helium watched from the seat arsenic Henderson made his archetypal planetary commencement nether interim brag Lee Carsley.

"Pickford is going to person contention for his place, but I bash deliberation helium volition beryllium the archetypal prime erstwhile the World Cup comes astir due to the fact that helium has ne'er fto England down," Dennis added.

As mentioned above, Henderson created past with Crystal Palace erstwhile they bushed Manchester City successful the FA Cup last - the 28-year-old is successful large signifier nether Eagles brag Oliver Glasner.

Trafford is successful a antithetic situation. At 22 years old, helium is the youngest goalkeeper successful the squad by immoderate way.

Since archetypal appearing successful the Premier League during Burnley's relegation play successful 2023-24, Trafford has improved considerably and is present reportedly a people for Newcastle.

With Tuchel intelligibly a immense admirer of Trafford's, adjacent play successful the Premier League volition beryllium captious for him to involvement his World Cup claim.