Tony Bellew has told Lee Dixon to mind his own business “and leave Everton alone” as he launched an impassioned defence of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The former Arsenal player, 61, who was subsequently spotted at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday for Everton’s game against Tottenham Hotspur, prompted the club to hit back at comments he made on punditry duty for ITV, questioning why Pickford – who was on the cusp of announcing his new contract with the Blues – had not joined a “bigger club.”

Taking to social media, Everton’s official account on X (formerly Twitter) tagged in Dixon to their post, which read: “9 top-flight titles, 5 FA Cups, 1 European title, one of football’s most-passionate fanbases, a world-class new stadium. Everton FC – a big club: past, present & future,” a tweet that has now been viewed over two million times.

Lifelong Evertonian Bellew, 42, who was a professional boxer between 2007-18 and held the WBC Cruiserweight title from 2016-17, was chosen by the club to be one of...