BATTLE OF THE KEEPERS: Inside the Pickford vs Martinez goalkeeping match-up poised to decide World Cup clash

England shot-stopper Jordan Pickford has faced his fair amount of criticism this tournament and now faces his biggest test in the blockbuster semi-final against

world

champions

Argentina

.

While becoming

the record-appearance holder for England at World Cups

with 18 caps, the 32-year-old has been in the limelight after being at fault for two of the knockout-stage goals conceded.

DR Congo

’s shock opener inside six minutes through Brian Cipenga saw

Everton

keeper Pickford beaten at his near post before he failed to collect Andreas Schjelderup’s looping cross-*-shot from a tight angle against

Norway

Whether you love or loathe his on-field antics, Emiliano Martinez has had a remarkable rise from plying his trade on loan at several EFL sides to a three-time Golden Glove winner. The

Aston Villa

fan favourite sparked his career into life with his 2020 move to the West Midlands before announcing himself on the world stage.

From being on the fringes of the Argentine set-up to one of the first names on the teamsheet, the 33-year-old has played a huge part in two Copa America triumphs, La Albiceleste's 2022 World Cup win and become a national hero with his penalty antics and 10 saves out of 24 in shootouts.

Both are mainstays for not only their respective

Premier League

clubs but their national sides, however the perception of Martinez in comparison to his opposite number is that he's in a different stratosphere.

Wednesday night in Atlanta provides Pickford with the perfect opportunity to prove otherwise.

There could be an element of recency bias in perceptions of Pickford's big-game pedigree. It’s easy to forget the

Sunderland

academy graduate denied Carlos Bacca with a superb one-handed stop in a nail-biting shootout with

Colombia

in 2018, England’s first win from spot kicks in a major tournament.

While Martinez is deservedly hailed for his penalty heroics, Pickford also boasts such credentials. Despite losing to Italy in the Euro 2020 final, he denied Andrea Belotti and Jorginho from the spot which gave the Three Lions a pivotal advantage at the start of the shootout.

In the past month, Pickford has again been asked to deliver under mounting pressure and did so admirably in the round of 16 against

Mexico

amid the chaos of the Azteca Stadium. His acrobatics came to England’s aid in the opening period by denying Raul Jimenez with two crucial interventions.

Nonetheless, while Pickford's clutch moments are impressive, they don't come close to matching those of the back-to-back Yashin Trophy winner.

Most notably, Martinez carried Argentina to their third world crown in

Qatar

and without his intervention, denying Randal Kolo Muani with the game tied at 3-3 in the final seconds of extra-time thanks to an incredible stop with his left leg to send the game to penalties,

France

would have picked up back-to-back World Cup titles.

Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni then failed to beat the inspired ‘keeper in the shootout, after Martinez had also played an influential role in booking their ticket to the showpiece final denying

Netherlands

pair Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis in the quarter-final shootout. Either side of their World Cup success, he has also delivered vital stops in their back-to-back Copa America triumphs.

From a statistical perspective, both shot-stoppers haven’t performed to their usual lofty standards this summer.

Pickford has faced an expected goals against of 3.5 but conceded six whereas Martinez has let in the same number but has been expected to concede 4.5 - meaning that both are under-performing this summer.

While Everton’s talisman has faced more efforts on target this World Cup (18 vs 14), Pickford also has an error leading to a goal, according to Opta, and in a game of this magnitude, he can't afford any such slip-ups.

Both ‘keepers aren't shy of showcasing a fiery temperament, but while Pickford can be deemed erratic, Martinez’s performances in major matches and key moments are seemingly

enhanced when his emotions are on show.

View 3 Images

Nevertheless, their Premier League stats aren’t too dissimilar.

It’s key to acknowledge how Pickford inevitably has more shots on goal with a leakier defence compared to that of Aston Villa’s No.1, yet he registered 11 clean sheets with a 66.67% save percentage last season, indicative of a man able to keep his composure and his side in games when under sustained pressure.

Suspensions and calf injuries resulted in Martinez missing six Premier League matches over the course of the campaign and he only made five less saves than Pickford with 95, however, his frantic tendencies are more evident domestically, with five errors leading to shots compared to Pickford’s three.

Attention ahead of Wednesday’s gripping semi-final is understandably geared around the plethora of attacking talent on display, but the two men between the sticks carry a compelling narrative.

Martinez has demonstrated time and time again his ability to deliver in the biggest moments but Pickford is still waiting to cement his place in English folklore with a standout showing; Argentina certainly provides that chance.

Nations who have gone on to be crowned world champions are always heavily reliant on their goalkeepers to step up in crucial moments and if the Three Lions are to clinch a first World Cup since 1966, Pickford may well need to produce an inspired moment to deny

Lionel Messi

& co.

A meeting of similar personalities and near-identical goalkeeping styles, the Pickford-Martinez debate could find a decisive answer on Wednesday.

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