Was it a season of frustration for him at Manchester City last time out, he is asked? Defiance is the stock in trade of a goalkeeper and Trafford has a nice line in it, on and off the pitch. Thrust into the England lineup against Spain at Wembley on Saturday for only his third cap, he performed well, particularly during the opening 35 minutes when the world champions threatened to run riot.
Trafford made two excellent saves that kept England in contention, laying the groundwork for their surge into a 2-1 half-time lead. They ended up losing 3-2 in the Nations League opener after Harry Kane missed a 54th-minute penalty for 3-1. The question to Trafford was valid because everybody remembers the situation.
How he rejoined City, the club of his youth, from Burnley in July last year, ready to be Pep Guardiola’s No 1; the replacement for Ederson, who departed after eight seasons of stellar service. And how, after three Premier League matches, Guardiola went out and signed Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain, installing him as his first-choice goalkeeper. Trafford played in the every round of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, keeping clean sheets in the finals of both competitions as City beat Arsenal and Chelsea, respectively.
You play the cards you’re dealt.” The 23-year-old is looking at a different hand now. It seems as though everything has changed for him since his move to Leeds in August. He has excelled for his new club in their unbeaten start to the Premier League season.
No goalkeeper has more saves than his 20 in the competition, nor a higher save percentage than his 85.7%: he has conceded just three times in five games. Trafford can hear the knock of opportunity with England because, for the first time in eight years, the No 1 position feels up for grabs. Jordan Pickford’s grip on it has been tight since Sir Gareth Southgate turned to him for the 2018 World Cup.
Pickford has won 91 caps, keeping 47 clean sheets. The Everton player has been the undisputed first-choice for so long that there was surprise when Thomas Tuchel started Trafford against Spain and also announced he would play him against Czechia in Prague on Tuesday night. The manager said Pickford would return for the final two matches of this Nations League window – against Croatia in Rijeka and Czechia at Wembley.
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