Frank Lampard has told his Everton players they must overcome the “fear” of relegation that has swept over the Merseyside club of late.
Everton go into Thursday's game against Newcastle United at Goodison Park on a woeful run of form that has seen them win just once in the Premier League since Lampard took over at the end of January.
His team was booed off at full-time after their 1-0 defeat to Wolves at the weekend outside the bottom three on goal difference alone, albeit with three games in hand on 18th-placed Watford.
Lampard said after their latest defeat that fans are well within their rights to express their anger which prompted Lampard to express surprise at the “instant negativity” which can follow setbacks at Goodison Park.
The former Chelsea manager said he hopes for a different mood on Thursday. “I think if you walk around in fear of [relegation] happening there’s a good chance you’re adding to the chances it may happen,” he said ahead of the match against a Newcastle side who have dragged themselves up to 14th in the table and away from the relegation zone under the guidance of manager Eddie Howe.
“It’s not the time for lies or to change the story. We know where we’re at. But we’ve also seen this club stay up on the last day of the season a couple of times. It’s nothing that’s absolutely new.
“Nerves creep in, that’s human nature, but for us it’s not about what might be but what we can action, what we can deal with, and that’s the 12 games in front of us.
“We need to absolutely believe that things can change,” he said. “I don't mind a casual belief of 'maybe they will' but a proactive belief that considers what we can do it to affect it.
“There have been many positives in our performances but these get eaten up by results – I get that.
Everton 0 Wolves 1: player ratings
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EVERTON RATINGS: Jordan Pickford 6 - Nothing he could do about the goal conceded. Distribution could have been better. Getty -
Jonjoe Kenny 5 - The 24-year-old was bright down the left flank but was careless with his challenge that saw him handed a second yellow card in the 78th minute. Getty -
Mason Holgate 7 - Rarely lost a challenge and was alert to sweep up the danger. AFP -
Ben Godfrey 7 - A good defensive display that should have helped his team get something from the game. Regular won balls and kept the score at 1-0. Reuters -
Seamus Coleman 5 - Not good enough going forward and couldn’t get close to Wolves attacks developing down his channel. Getty -
Vitaliy Mykolenko 5 - Lost too many duels on the left flank before being replaced before the hour mark. Reuters -
Abdoulaye Doucoure 6 - Broke up a number of Wolves attacks that probably kept the score from being much worse than 1-0. Didn’t do enough going forward. Getty -
Donny van de Beek 5 - A fairly anonymous display from van de Beek who didn’t look comfortable in a deeper midfield role than he is used to. Reuters -
Anthony Gordon 7 - Worked hard and looked like he could make something happen, but his intensity wasn’t matched by his teammates. Getty -
Demarai Gray 5 - Put plenty of crosses into the box but it wasn’t clear who he was aiming for at times. Valuable minutes on his return from injury. PA -
Richarlison 6 - Constantly looked to get in behind the defence but his end product could have been better. Action Images -
SUBS: Dele Alli (Mykolenko 58) 5 - Tried to make a difference but rarely offered any threat. Kept his passing safe. PA -
Andros Townsend (Gray 74) - Couldn’t get into the game and ended his display with a poor free-kick from close range. PA -
WOLVES RATINGS: Jose Sa 7 - Alert to the danger as Everton tried to unleash Richarlison through on goal and he was quick to anticipate crosses. Getty -
Romain Saiss 6 - Never looked threatened defensively but could have taken better care of the ball at times. Reuters -
Conor Coady 8 - A superb header saw the centre-back raise above everyone and knock the ball onto a trajectory that left Jordan Pickford no chance to make the save. Getty -
Max Kilman 7 - Looked to venture out of defence and break into Everton’s channels before playing passes forward. Getty -
Marcal 7 - Won plenty of battles down the left flank as he looked to get forward and got into the box. PA -
Joao Moutinho 7 - Gave away a silly free-kick late-on but wasn’t punished. That didn’t spoil a solid midfield performance alongside his compatriot Ruben Neves. Getty -
Leander Dendoncker 7 - Didn’t look to put a foot wrong as he passed safely to his more attacking players. Held shape well when Everton looked to break. Getty -
Ruben Neves 8 - A midfield masterclass from the Portugal international. Neves was calm under pressure and dictated the game from the centre, picking up an assist in the process for Coady’s opener with a perfectly delivered cross. Getty -
Jonny Castro 7 - Unlucky not to pick up an assist after executing some dangerous passes into Everton territory. Enjoyed regular runs down the left flank. Getty -
Raul Jimenez 7 - Linked play well at the top end of the pitch and provided an option for advancing midfielders. Getty -
Hwang Hee-Chan 6 - Injured early on and replaced for Daniel Podence. AFP -
SUBS: Daniel Podence (Hwang 16) 7 - A constant threat as he looked to cut inside on his stronger right foot when possible, but could also beat his man with marauding runs down the left flank. PA -
Trincao (Dendoncker 83) - Almost sealed the game with a finessed effort from just inside the box. Reuters -
Fabio Silva (Jimenez 89) - On for Jimenez in the final minutes. PA
“The critical thing is getting it right in both boxes. We need results and they will start to change the face of everything.”
Former Liverpool defender turned TV pundit Jamie Carragher said on Monday that Everton’s players had been an “absolute disgrace” while challenging them to answer their critics.
“It’s the players’ job to answer criticism on the pitch,” added Lampard, who is not sure whether striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be fit enough to return from illness against the Magpies. “The reality is we’re in a position we don’t want to be. I understand the analysis but we all have to get together and answer it.
“Tomorrow we’re expecting everyone together fighting. Every game is so important, there are 12 of them left and they’re massive. At Goodison we want to be together. I want the players to start well, we have to engage the fans and when we do that together we’re a force.
“It’s the players’ job to answer on the pitch. You look at the Tottenham game [when Everton lost 5-0], I didn’t like the game at all. I wouldn’t use that language, but I didn’t like it at all. We have to accept people have opinions, we have to get together and answer it on the pitch.”
Chelsea 1 Newcastle 0: player ratings
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CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy - 7: No serious save to make until fine stop from blockbusting Almiron volley on stroke of half-time. Reuters -
Trevoh Chalobah - 6: Somehow escaped giving away penalty in second half when clearly pulling shirt and shoving over Murphy. PA -
Antonio Rudiger - 8: Some galloping runs down left that resulted in Chelsea winning a couple of corners. No problems at all defensively and a key player who Chelsea really need to pin down on a new deal. Reuters -
Andreas Christensen - 8: Had game’s first shot in second minute but flew over bar from distance. Assured afternoon’s work from Dane who easily dealt with aerial threat with Wood. PA -
Malang Sarr - 6: French defender playing on left of a Chelsea back four and didn’t put a foot wrong but didn’t offer much going forward. Reuters -
Jorginho - 8: Usual tidy passing from base of midfield and was Italian's brilliant ball over defence that set-up Havertz for his winner. EPA -
N’Golo Kante - 7: Brilliant sweeping up on edge of box when Longstaff was lining up shot. Usual reliable day’s work from the Frenchman and a constant bright spark in midfield for Chelsea. Getty -
Hakim Ziyech - 6: Struggled to find any space against a very well-drilled Newcastle backline. Booked for high kick on head of Guimaraes. Getty -
Mason Mount - 5: One acrobatic volley high and wide from edge of box and tried to catch out Dubravka with free-kick to near post but could only find side netting. Struggled to make impact and hooked just after hour mark. AP -
Kai Havertz - 8: Yellow card for elbow in face of Burn that could have been red. Should have opened scoring in 76th minute but headed straight at Dubravka. Redeemed himself with stunning touch and finish to win game for Chelsea, then saw Dubravka turn another shot onto bar. Getty -
Timo Werner - 3: Chelsea’s intricate passing through midfield seem to falter once it reached feet of German. Woeful first-touch after beating offside trap in second half when goal would have been at his mercy. Painfully short of form and confidence. AFP -
SUBS: Romelu Lukaku – (On for Werner 63’) 4: Did nothing and barely touched the ball. Getty -
Mateo Kovacic – (On for Mount 63’) 6: Booked for sliding challenge on Guimaraes. AP -
Christian Pulisic – (On for Sarr 78’) N/A. PA -
NEWCASTLE RATINGS: Martin Dubravka - 7: Not a save to make until Chelsea’s first attempt on target in 76th minute when Havertz headed straight into his hands. No chance with German’s winner, then turned shot from same player on to bar minutes later. Reuters -
Fabian Schar - 8: Allowed Rudiger free header from corner in first five minutes that needed a block from teammate. Important interception in box to turn Rudiger cross out for corner. Headed decent chance straight at Mendy five minutes from time. PA -
Jamaal Lascelles - 7: Club captain returned to starting XI and got his positioning and his timing spot on to deny Werner half-chance in first half. Didn’t put foot wrong until losing Havertz for German’s headed chance in second half. EPA -
Dan Burn - 8: Made feelings to Havertz clear after taking elbow in face from Chelsea attacker in first half. Had been immense once again at the back for Newcastle but left devastated after being caught out by Jorginho pass for Havertz’ winner. AFP -
Javier Manquillo - 7: On right of a what was a Newcastle back five and the Spaniard played his part in disciplined Newcastle defensive display. AP -
Matty Targett - 7: Lovely first touch to beat Kante and then send dangerous cross into box that Wood should have done better with. Delivery from left was excellent. EPA -
Sean Longstaff - 6: A rare start for the midfielder. Chased and harried Chelsea throughout. Distribution was hit and miss, though. AP -
Bruno Guimaraes - 6: The new Magpies fans’ favourite had quiet first half but fizzed dipping strike wide just after break. Booked for foul on Kovacic. Didn't hit the highs of midweek full debut against Brighton. Getty -
Jacob Murphy - 6: Off balance and well off target with ambitious shot in 20th minute from tight angle. Booked for slight tug back on Ziyech. Should have earned Newcastle a second-half penalty after clearly being fouled in box by Chalobah. Getty -
Miguel Almiron - 6: Another who has found game time limited this season and looked rusty early on. Gave away free-kick in dangerous position with needless kick on Ziyech. Forced good stop from Mendy with thumping volley in first-half injury time. Getty -
Chris Wood - 4: Scored first goal in midweek win at Southampton and should have done better with first-half header that he failed to connect with from Targett cross. Hold-up play wasn't up to normal standard and looked slow and cumbersome at times. PA -
SUBS: Allan Saint-Maximin – (On for Almiron 69’) 4: Contributed absolutely nothing after coming on when Newcastle needed some attacking spark, although team as whole were sitting too deep by this point. Reuters -
Dwight Gayle – (On for Manquillo 90+1’) N/A. Booked straight after coming on for foul on Jorginho. Getty -
Ryan Fraser – (On for Murphy 90+1’) N/A. Getty
