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Paul Merson has urged Everton to give goalkeeper Robin Olsen a run in the starting XI, claiming that teammate Jordan Pickford needs a spell on the sidelines.

Olsen started his third Premier League game of the season in midweek and put in a brilliant performance in a 2-1 victory, with Pickford missing through injury.

Olsen, 31, has barely put a glove wrong in his six appearances for the Toffees in all competitions since he joined on loan from Roma in the summer.

The £19,000-a-week (Spotrac) man is patient waiting for his opportunities at Goodison Park, but he’s certainly applying the pressure on Pickford.

Merson feels like the England number one should be dropped and has suggested that Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti gives Olsen an opportunity that he’s earned.

“Jordan Pickford needs to be taken out of the Everton team – for his own good,” Merson told the Daily Star.

“He’s been very fortunate to keep on getting a chance because he’s been making big mistakes consistently in games.

“Robin Olsen did really well for them against Leeds and I think he deserves a run of games now.”

TBR’s View:

All the talk will obviously be around Pickford’s position at Everton given he’s England’s number one and that he’s made a couple of big individual errors.

But Olsen deserves a special mention.

He’s a senior player that has 42 international caps for Sweden and it was a match-winning display from him to earn three league points against Leeds.

Ancelotti certainly has a big decision to make because of the way Olsen has been performing.