After an exciting Sheffield United match, Sean Dyche claims “injustice” on behalf of Everton.

Sean Dyche claims “injustice” following an exciting Sheffield United match for Everton.

After earning a point against fellow struggling Everton, Sheffield United enters the break narrowly above the relegation zone.

“Our only regret is that we allowed two soft goals to go in. That was more of a collective issue than an individual one; the defensive shape of the squad; yet, it was another strong performance, one that was also accomplished while traveling. So disappointed, yet overall happy with the performance levels.

The Toffees took an early lead thanks to Abdoulaye Doucoure, but the visitors were brought back by Cameron Archer’s exquisite finish. After Pickford scored an own goal, Dyche’s team was behind at the break.

“I reminded them about that, about taking the game on again, taking it by the scruff of the neck, which we did do. I was really pleased with the start to the second half, the energy, the quality, I think we kept it up more or less through the whole half, the way we were dealing with it defensively, shifting the ball and getting it into key areas.

“Arguably, you want to score more because of the quality in the areas that we had and the play we had in the box…on the other hand, in the madness of football you can end up losing it. Jordan makes a brilliant double save at the end and you think ‘how mad is football?’ But that is how football can be.

“It would have been an injustice I feel, but it can go against you and it didn’t, so a point on the road and another good performance so we have got to keep believing in that and building on it and get players fit.”

Dyche hailed Pickford’s late heroics. “Like everyone, he had some question marks recently because the team were conceding big moments,” he said.

“Every player should be questioned because that’s the world we live in. Every top player gets questioned, that is part and parcel of being a top professional. It should be a stimulus if anything.

But it shows again what a top keeper he is, I thought his all-round performance was very good.

“He was very unlucky with their second, quite obviously, and made two fantastic saves, when it is really important to do so. If that goes against you everyone is scratching their heads, but he made sure it doesn’t happen.

“The madness of football, we could have ended up losing it; Jordan makes those saves at the end and you think ‘how mad is football?’ – it would have been an injustice if it went against us but it didn’t.”