Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford insists the barracking of opposition fans hasn't unsettled him.

He was hammered in December for the blunder which gifted Liverpool 's Divock Origi a 90th-minute winner in the Merseyside derby at Anfield. Boyhood Sunderland fan, and former player for them, Pickford also endured a nightmare at Newcastle this month with an error-strewn display during which he ­appeared distracted by taunts from the home crowd.

But he says: “It's just social media really, at the end of the day.

“You see it all on Twitter and stuff, and if you don't laugh you cry, don't you?"

While you or I might stay away from social media to try to refocus during a bad patch, £30million ­Pickford is still straight on his phone “within five minutes" of the final ­whistle.

“It's about me becoming better as a goalkeeper," he added. “It's not about the ­criticism I'm ­getting, it's about how I can go to training and what I can do in training to become better for game day.

“I never go into a game with any doubts. I always feel ­confident in my ability and hopefully I can be strong mentally. I would say that's one of the strongest parts of my game.

“It's weird, because when you turn your phone on, the first thing you do is go on Twitter or Instagram and see what you've been mentioned in.

“But every footballer is ­different, every sportsperson is different.

“Some people read them and have a laugh, some people read them and maybe get offended, and some people might think, 'How can I get better and not get the ­criticism?' "