Why Dean Henderson should be England's number one

With an ongoing fantastic debut season in the Premier League with Sheffield United, Dean Henderson has given Gareth Southgate no choice but to consider his options when it comes to England's number one spot for the Euros. And it should be an easy choice for Gareth Southgate who has seen Jordan Pickford experience a disappointing season.

Moreover, when comparing Dean Henderson and Jordan Pickford, the superiority of the Sheffield United shot-stopper is clear. Henderson has kept 8 clean sheets this season, a number that remains unbeatable, whilst Jordan Pickford has collected 6. Adding to this, Pickford has conceded 35 goals this season which is 15 more than Henderson who boasts one of the best defensive records in the league this season in a Sheffield United side that has shocked the world in their first season back in the top division since 2007.

However, despite coming out on top when it comes to clean sheets and goals conceded, Dean Henderson is, in fact, inferior to Jordan Pickford when it comes to pass completion and general distribution. And this is why Pickford may edge Henderson for the England number one spot with Southgate opting for a keeper who is an accomplished and calm distributor of the ball. This makes Pickford the perfect option for Southgate with a pass completion of 56.77% and 761 passes completed overall this season. By contrast, Henderson has made 605 passes with a success rate of just 33.72%.

Dean Henderson has saved 7⃣ of the last 🔟 penalties he has faced. 👑#twitterblades #sufc pic.twitter.com/d9SXmO3HjS

— The Bladesman (@The_Bladesman) January 21, 2020

This could tempt Southgate into picking the experience of Pickford who suits England's playing out from the back style of play. Although, one thing that will worry England fans and Gareth Southgate about Jordan Pickford this season is his save success rate. The Everton man has recorded a fairly unconvincing save percentage of 63.92% to make him one of the more average keepers when it comes to shot-stopping. This is something, however, that Dean Henderson has often excelled in this season with a save percentage of 75.31%, a better save percentage than the likes of Ederson and David De Gea whom Henderson may look to replace at United next season upon a return from loan.

To conclude, although Jordan Pickford has had better distribution than the more inexperienced Henderson this season. The Sheffield United number one's impressive numbers when it comes to shot-stopping may tempt Gareth Southgate to hand Henderson his first-ever senior England cap at one of the biggest international tournaments.