BBC pundit Garth Crooks pointed to Jordan Pickford’s save on Adam Armstrong as the “game changer” during Everton’s victory over Saints on Saturday.
The England international turned Armstrong’s powerful shot from inside the area over the bar with the Toffees 2-1 ahead and just 18 minutes remaining.
It was perhaps the best of six shots on goal Pickford turned away as Frank Lampard’s side went six unbeaten, and Ralph Hasenhuttl’s were condemned to a third straight defeat.
Aside from the Joe Aribo, Conor Coady and Dwight McNeil goals that came early in the second-half and ultimately decided proceedings, Crooks pinpoints Pickford’s intervention as the big moment.
"The save from Adam Armstrong in the second half was a game changer," he said in his weekly team of the week feature for the BBC website, which also included Coady.
"England's number one then stood up and parried a stinging shot from Kyle Walker-Peters without the slightest hint of any heroics.
"Something has happened to Jordan Pickford's game since the arrival of Frank Lampard at Goodison Park,” he added.
“The goalkeeper has not only been in good form but has instilled a real confidence in his defence.
"Everton were in desperate need of this victory at Southampton and it puts them on the same number of points as Liverpool, which rather says as much about their neighbours as it does about them."
Saints captain James Ward-Prowse will hope to play alongside Pickford for England next month, when they travel to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
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