Jordan Pickford aiming for top-four finish with Everton

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 20 August 2017

Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford says that his side will "thrive" on playing the division's elite teams this season as they look to crack the top four.

Jordan Pickford has stressed that finishing in the Premier League's top four is an attainable target for Everton following their busy summer of transfer activity.

The England Under-21s keeper was brought in from Sunderland for £30m - one of eight new arrivals at Goodison Park in a spending spree that has set the club back close to £150m so far.

Everton finished a respectable seventh in the top flight last season with the aid of 25-goal striker Romelu Lukaku, who has since departed for Manchester United, but Pickford is confident that his side can close the gap on the sides above them - including Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

"We sold Lukaku in the summer, but spent a lot of money. We are expecting to win and win," the Liverpool Echo quotes him as saying. "We have to concentrate on what we do and keep picking up results when we can.

"That is what the Premier League is all about. You have got to thrive on those big games. We have to go with a good gameplan and try to execute it. It would be massive for everyone at the club if we could finish above Liverpool. There is nothing more we would want to do."

Everton head to Manchester City on Monday night for their second league game of the season, having so far battled past Stoke City 1-0 last time out.