View: New Jordan Pickford emerging at Everton after what U21s youngster did v Liverpool

Everton Under-21s goalkeeper Zan-Luk Leban is ready to take the step up to first-team level after keeping a clean sheet in their victory over Liverpool.

Speaking on the club website (28 October) after the Toffees’ 2-0 win on 26 October, Under-21s head coach Paul Tait singled out Leban and brace-scoring forward Omari Benjamin out for praise.

Leban’s clean sheet comes in a rare appearance for the Blues youth side, having spent the entirety of last season on loan at Farsley Celtic and spending much of his time training with the first team.

Tait said: “Zan was excellent – he is an excellent goalkeeper, we are lucky to have him.

“He’s in and around supporting the first team, so he has not gone out on loan.

“We are lucky to get him for the odd game, he is a fantastic lad and we all love him. He had a great game today, he made some really good saves.”

Zan-Luk Leban can be the next Jordan Pickford at Everton

The goalkeeping pecking order at Goodison Park has been made abundantly clear in recent years, with Jordan Pickford the bona-fide number-one pick and the rest battling for a spot on the bench.

Joao Virginia has established himself as Sean Dyche’s second choice despite the re-signing of veteran Asmir Begovic on a free transfer this summer, with fellow academy import Leban next in the running.

Leban, who has a first-team squad number despite having yet to make his senior debut for the Toffees, and unlike Blackpool loanee Harry Tyler, has been kept in the fold to do just that.

At 30, Pickford is still a spring chicken in goalkeeping terms, and as England’s number one, won’t be losing his place between the Goodison Park sticks any time soon despite some errors this season.

However, clean sheets against Liverpool will do Leban’s chances no harm regardless of the level, and he’ll be confident of making his way up the ladder of Toffees goalkeepers in the coming months.

In other Everton news, Dyche admitted that he wanted to keep one player who made a big impact in the Blues’ draw with Fulham.

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