Ex-Premier League star wants major rule change that all goalkeepers will hate
Jordan Pickford’s water bottle is the latest talking point from Everton’s defeat to Leeds.
The Toffees were controversially beaten by the newly-promoted side at Elland Road on Monday night.
Lukas Nmecha’s penalty proved to be the difference after James Tarkowski was penalised for handball.
The summer signing slotted his spot-kick into the bottom corner despite Pickford diving the right way.
It came after a cheat sheet was spotted on the side of the Everton goalkeeper’s water bottle.
Several shot-stoppers have been known to use such tactics, with the placement of opposition players’ recent penalties mapped out on their drinks.
‘Ban penalty cheat sheets’
Jamie O’Hara believes the cheat sheets used by goalkeepers to aid them when facing a penalty should be banned.
Discussing the incident with Jason Cundy, the talkSPORT co-host told The Sports Bar: “Jordan Pickford, I don’t know what you think about this, but the water bottle situation.
“Where they’ve got all the penalties. You see him pick his water bottle up. He goes to his water bottle. He’s obviously got a load of information on it. I’m not having that.
“I think that needs to be knocked on the head. I think it’s got to get banned.
“I think you’ve got to ban anything being written on the water bottles. I just don’t think it’s acceptable.”
He continued: “The penalty is a 50-50. That’s what it’s meant to be, you against the keeper.
“The keeper’s got all the information. I don’t think that’s fair. It’s unsportsmanlike that you’re allowed to have the water bottles with all the information on it.”
However, Cundy disagreed with the claim, as he argued goalkeepers are already at a disadvantage when facing a penalty.
The former Chelsea defender explained: “It’s not 50-50. Most penalties are scored.
“It’s stacked against the goalkeeper. He can have all the information he wants. People study videos for hours of players.”
O’Hara hit back, though, adding: “Then the penalty taker should be allowed to have someone come on with a water bottle and he gets the last five penalties of where Pickford dives.”
Pickford’s penalty record
Prior to Nmecha’s spot-kick, Pickford had saved the last two penalties he had faced in the Premier League.
He denied Erling Haaland and Anthony Gordon from 12 yards last term.
The England number one has now saved seven of 36 penalties faced in the top-flight for Everton and Sunderland.
His cheat sheet was previously on display in May 2023 after keeping out an effort from James Maddison in a draw with Leicester.
However, he may have struggled to find research on Nmecha, who joined Leeds from Wolfsburg this summer.
Prior to Monday night, the 26-year-old had not taken a competitive penalty since May 2021.
Despite that, he has an impressive record after scoring 25 of his 29 spot-kicks, missing just twice in senior club football.
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