Everton manager Frank Lampard accepts fans are well within their rights to express their anger at another defeat after the 1-0 loss to Wolves edged the Toffees further into relegation trouble.
Former Liverpool academy graduate and boyhood Reds fan Conor Coady’s glancing header four minutes after half-time was enough to inflict an eighth defeat in nine league matches on Everton and left Lampard’s side outside the bottom three on goal difference only.
Jonjoe Kenny’s sending off for a second booking three minutes after his first compounded the hosts’ misery on an increasingly toxic afternoon at Goodison Park which ended in boos at the final whistle.
Everton’s 22-point haul from 26 matches is the lowest tally in their history at this stage of the season.
“I’ve played for 20 years and I have seen plenty of reactions from crowds,” said Lampard.
“I can’t stand there and say ‘Thanks very much for helping us play so well against Brentford and Leeds and Manchester City’ – and deserve more in that game – and not expect that the fans that want the team to do well, want the team to stay up and get wins, will not have reactions.”
Lampard is trying to look at the bigger picture as his side have 12 matches left and at least a couple of games in hand on most of their relegation rivals.
But following on from a 5-0 thrashing at Tottenham on Monday, losing at home was another blow to morale.
“I don’t put an emphasis on Goodison Park, I want to get points everywhere,” added the Toffees boss.
Everton have not scored in their last three league games and that, coupled with Watford’s win at Southampton, leaves Lampard's team outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
Everton do have three matches in hand on most of their rivals but a run of just nine points from the last 60 available and only two league wins since September has left the team in grave danger.
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