Kris Commons backs Fraser Forster to replace Jordan Pickford for England

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Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster is impressing this season.

Pundit Kris Commons has told the Scottish Daily Mail (The Verdict, p20, 28/10) that he thinks Celtic’s Fraser Forster should be England’s first-choice goalkeeper, not Everton’s Jordan Pickford.

Celtic swooped to take Forster on loan from Southampton back in August, handing him a return to Glasgow five years since he left to join the Saints.

The 31-year-old had made just one appearance for Southampton from the start of 2018 until his exit, but he’s really getting back to his best with Celtic now.

Forster has been superb between the sticks, and has received huge plaudits since making a miraculous save to deny Lazio’s Danilo Cataldi in last week’s 2-1 Europa League win for Celtic.

The last time Forster earned a cap for England was 2016, but ex-Celtic man Commons now believes he should not only be back in Gareth Southgate’s squad, but should be first choice.

Commons thinks Forster should be replacing Everton’s Jordan Pickford, who is ‘having a torrid time’ right now, criticising the Toffees man for a sharp dip in form.

Commons also thinks Forster’s European heroics for Celtic should put him ahead of Burnley’s Nick Pope and Sheffield United loanee Dean Henderson, because they’re in mid-table Premier League sides.

“On this form, he’s England’s best keeper by a country mile, and not only should he be back in Southgate’s next squad, he should be their No 1,” said Commons. “Jordan Pickford has been Southgate’s preferred choice since the World Cup in 2018, but he’s having a torrid time of it at the moment. His form has dipped sharply over the past year or so and he’s now part of an Everton team who are struggling badly at the bottom of the Premier League.”

“Pickford was joined in the last England squad by the deputy pairing of Burnley’s Nick Pope and Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson. So, Forster is performing heroics for Celtic on the European stage while England are calling on three goalies crapping it out for mid-table clubs down south?”

With Tom Heaton featuring for Aston Villa and Aaron Ramsdale also coming through at Bournemouth, it seems unlikely that England will bring in a player who hasn’t featured for almost four years, but Forster just needs to keep performing well for Celtic and hope for a recall.