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Round-up of Everton players on international duty

By Matt Townsend

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - MARCH 23: Goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford of England in action during the International Friendly match between Netherlands and England at Amsterdam ArenA also called the Johan Cruyff Arena on March 23, 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - MARCH 23: Goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford of England in action during the International Friendly match between Netherlands and England at Amsterdam ArenA also called the Johan Cruyff Arena on March 23, 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) /
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The recent international week is over and players are now with their clubs preparing to return to domestic action. So how did those Everton players who were away on international duty do for their respective countries?

Everton had a number of internationals involved last week. Jordan Pickford played in Amsterdam in England’s first game but he didn’t continue in-goal for the visit of Italy to Wembley.

Pickford produced a solid performance in the Netherlands match, although in a poor game he wasn’t required to do much if truth be told.

England boss Gareth Southgate choose to rotate his goal keepers for these two games and so Pickford made way for Stoke’s Jack Butland when England played Italy.

I don’t really see the point of this approach. Surely by now the England manager should have made up his mind who will start between the sticks when England kick off their World Cup campaign in June.

It certainly doesn’t help with the stability and certainty of the defence when every time England’s centre backs turn around there’s a different face in-goal. Given England’s defensive problems and weakness this decision should have been made by now.

At any rate although Pickford wasn’t required to do anything spectacular he didn’t do his chances any harm either. In particular his ability and confidence on the ball were also on display again.

Of course I am hoping that Southgate will pick-ford as his first-choice for Russia!

Seamus Coleman returned to international action for the Republic of Ireland a year after his infamous leg-break in the qualifier against Wales.

He played in the 1-0 defeat to Everton team-mate Cenk Tosun’s Turkey. He had an hour back in the Ireland shirt and produced his usual energetic and committed performance.

For Republic of Ireland fans and team-mates just as much as Evertonians seeing him back playing for them will have been a big tonic.

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As for other players the most significant was perhaps Idrissa Gueye picking up an injury while with Senegal. That might rule him out of Everton’s next two league fixtures against Manchester City and the derby with Liverpool.

Considering he has been again one of the few bright spots for the Blues this season, this is not good news going into these high-profile matches.

Senegal claimed he had arrived with a muscle tear, which presumably is something they think he got playing for Everton.

This kind of injury controversy is all too common; remember the recriminations between Everton and the Republic of Ireland over James McCarthy last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMNTUF5zsA8

Next: What's happened to Barkley?

Whatever the truth his absence will be felt in an Everton team that is still a long way short of the kind of form that is to be expected.

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