Football: Lampard will 'go again' after troubled Everton crash amid fans protest
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Everton manager Frank Lampard reacts during the match against Southampton in Britain on Jan 14, 2023.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
LONDON – Frank Lampard insisted that he still has the stomach for Everton’s Premier League relegation battle, after they crashed to a 2-1 defeat by fellow strugglers Southampton
In a fresh sight of the turmoil enveloping the Toffees, the club’s board of directors were ordered to stay away from Goodison Park last weekend due to perceived security risks.
The move came after offensive messages, including death threats to chairman Bill Kenwright, were made to specific individuals during the week.
“It was a tense game. Frustrated to lose, frustrated for everyone,” Lampard said.
“It’s clear in football that sometimes if you aren’t winning games it can become contagious in terms of confidence...
“It feels like a casual statement, that we have ‘forgot how to win’ but I understand the point... we are not winning.
“It’s a difficult time. I understand the situation we are in here, I hear the noise but I have to keep working.
“We need to just work in our own way to do the best and my own way is to wake up tomorrow morning and go: ‘OK, let’s go again’.”
Everton officials called it a “profoundly sad day” because of the threats.
On the pitch, Lampard’s men squandered the lead by Amadou Onana’s first goal for the Toffees.
James Ward-Prowse scored twice as Southampton moved level on 15 points with Everton, who are off the bottom of the table only on goal difference.
Everton, who have lost their fourth successive home league game, have managed just one win in 11 league matches. They have their joint-lowest tally at the halfway stage of a Premier League campaign.
That wretched performance added extra numbers to the planned sit-in protest after the final whistle, as fans called for owner Farhad Moshiri to sell, with some also demanding Lampard’s sacking.
The last time the Merseysiders had 15 points at this time of the season they were relegated in 1951.
But Lampard is determined to keep fighting to save Everton, who narrowly avoided the drop under his leadership last term.
He also said that he expects his ailing side to bounce back when they travel to 18th-placed West Ham United this weekend.
“The only thing that is important is the reaction,” he said. “The effort of the players, the desire of the players (against Southampton) was big.
“But, in terms of the performance, we know that’s not enough and I’ll be the first to take responsibility for that.”
AFP, REUTERS
