What Jordan Pickford had written on his water bottle as Everton star saves Erling Haaland’s penalty

Erling Haaland missed a golden chance to restore Manchester City’s lead against Everton after his penalty was saved by Jordan Pickford. The opportunity came early in the second half when Vitaly Mykolenko fouled Savinho in the box, prompting referee Simon Hooper to award the penalty.

Haaland stepped up to take the spot kick but was denied by an excellent save from Pickford, who dived to his right to stop the Norwegian striker. The save proved decisive as Everton managed to secure a vital point at the Etihad Stadium against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Notably, Pickford’s water bottle revealed his meticulous preparation, containing detailed information about Manchester City’s penalty takers. A photograph showed intel on Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish, and Mateo Kovacic, with graphs indicating their preferred penalty placement. Although Haaland was not listed, Pickford’s preparation still enabled him to make the crucial save.

This isn’t the first time Pickford has used such tactics. During Euro 2024, he had similar data on Switzerland’s penalty takers. A close-up of his water bottle from that tournament revealed specific instructions for each player, including “dive left” for Manuel Akanji—a move that successfully led to another penalty save.

Pickford’s attention to detail and strategic approach once again paid off, earning Everton a hard-fought draw and underlining the goalkeeper’s reputation for excelling in high-pressure moments.