Everton manager Frank Lampard has warned his players that “it is very dangerous to relax” despite a recent upturn in form that has seen them rise out of the Premier League relegation zone.
The Merseyside club defeated Leicester City 2-1 at the King Power Stadium on Sunday - their third win in five games that lifted them up to 16th in the table, one point above the drop zone with a game in hand on rivals Leeds United and Burnley.
That win against the Foxes was Everton's first on the road since August, with two more away games to come before the end of the season.
Next up are relegated Watford at Vicarage Road on Wednesday but Lampard made it clear that Everton cannot afford to underestimate their opponents or think the job is done in the battle to stay up.
“It’s the only message for us. As much as we enjoyed the weekend, it was a game which got us out of the relegation zone with four games to go but it is very dangerous to relax on that,” said Lampard.
“As much as we can talk about the fans, us as players and staff, the only message is we have to go now and finish the job, which is a tough job.
“We have to expect the worst, everyone else can win, but we can control ourselves so there is absolutely no way we can relax. That’s the biggest message.
“To underestimate it because Watford are relegated would be our biggest danger. Every game in the Premier League is dangerous, especially when you travel away. The minute you think you have cracked it, it becomes dangerous.
Leicester 1 Everton 2: player ratings
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LEICESTER RATINGS: Kasper Schmeichel – 5. Beaten by Mykolenko’s superb strike, Schmeichel was pivotal in ensuring Everton didn’t double their lead when Doucoure’s ball rattled the woodwork. Then, his quick distribution enabled Leicester to equalise on the break. Needed to do better when he parried away Richarlison’s header into Holgate’s path. Reuters -
Daniel Amartey – 6. He had a shot from distance that finished narrowly over the crossbar, while at the other end he denied Richarlison a scoring opportunity. Booked. AFP -
Wesley Fofana – 6. The young Frenchman’s positioning needed to be better for the corner for Holgate’s goal. Later, he was instructed to move play forward and he showed attacking intent, good in defence too. Reuters -
Jonny Evans – 5. Seemingly part of a back three for Leicester, Evans was perhaps lucky to survive the game without a single booking, after having put tackles left, right and centre. PA -
Timothy Castagne – 6. More involved in the second half, Castagne sent in a terrific ball into the box with 10 minutes left, which Barnes could only head wide. Getty -
Nampalys Mendy – 5. Could have added a spectacular first Premier League goal to his name in his last action of the game, when he tried his luck from distance, forcing Pickford into an exquisite save. Booked. Getty -
Youri Tielemans – 5 The Belgium midfielder looked far from his best and would have expected to do better when the ball came to him after some Leicester pressure after the break. AP -
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 5. Able to shake off an injury concern from the first half, Dewsbury-Hall was hardworking but largely unimpactful. Getty -
Ayoze Perez – 5. Beaten from the throw-in in the lead up to Mykolenko’s opener, Perez was sacrificed at half-time as Leicester looked for a way back into the game. PA -
Kelechi Iheanacho – 6. Threatening during Leicester’s early pressure, Iheanacho struggled to trouble Pickford’a goal. AP -
Patson Daka – 7. Unlucky when he beat Pickford only to see Mina’s last-ditch clearance stop him from scoring. Put his side on equal terms when he took advantage of a mix-up at Everton’s defence to run free on goal. AP -
SUBS: Harvey Barnes (Perez 46’) – 6. Could have given Leicester their second, if not for a terrific low save by Pickford. Saw a header go wide of the post in the closing stages. Getty -
Jamie Vardy (Mendy 65’) – 5. As Brendan Rodgers pushed to find an equaliser by putting on three strikers, Vardy was unable to make an impact. Ademola Lookman (Daka 80’) – N/A. Reuters -
EVERTON RATINGS: Jordan Pickford – 8. Was left exposed and facing a one-on-one after a mix-up from his backline, but he was comfortable when called into action in the first half. Put in a spectacular save to deny Mendy finding the top corner, before denying Barnes twice. PA -
Vitalii Mykolenko – 7. Despite early Leicester pressure, a superb volley by the Ukrainian handed Everton an early lead and the defender his first Premier League goal. Reuters -
Seamus Coleman – 5. Catastrophic error by the defender in the lead up to Daka’s equaliser as both he and Mina failed to communicate. Improved thereafter. AP -
Yerry Mina – 5. Helped to keep the scoreline at 0-0 with a crucial intervention to deny Daka, but was at fault during a mix-up, which allowed Daka to run free on goal for Leicester’s equaliser. Forced off in the 18th minute with an injury. PA -
Mason Holgate – 7. Put his side ahead for the second time when Schmeichel failed to push the ball away from danger. PA -
Fabian Delph – 6. He quietly went about his business and was solid in midfield. AP -
Abdoulaye Doucoure – 6. Could have made it 2-0 for his side, just seconds before Leicester’s equaliser, when his effort hit the woodwork before Schmeichel was able to claim. AP -
Demarai Gray – 7. The former Leicester man would have been disappointed to see Doucoure’s effort bounce off the post, before seeing his old team scoring on the counter attack. AP -
Anthony Gordon – 7. The Toffees youth graduate continued to be a key influence in Everton’s attacking intent. He was vital in winning free-kicks, and winning the corner for Holgate’s goal. AFP -
Alex Iwobi – 7. Kickstarted the move for Mykolenko’s volley from the throw-in, with Iwobi spotting the Ukrainian free on the left wing. He later showed a fighting attitude when Barnes attacked on the wing to put the ball out for a throw-in. AP -
Richarlison – 7. Given a free header, which saw Schmeichel only able to push into Holgate’s path for Everton’s second goal of the game. Blocked twice when Gordon fed the ball to him. AFP -
SUBS: Michael Keane (Mina 18’) – 6. Continued where Mina left off with miscommunication in the backline as Leicester hunted for a second equaliser. Otherwise, settled. PA -
Jonjoe Kenny (Mykolenko 66’) - 6. Seemed to settle in on his cameo, with Mykolenko forced off having picked up an injury. Getty -
Salomon Rondon (Gray 74’) – 6. Booked during his appearance from the bench, Rondon was put to work holding up play and showing his strength. AFP
“Getting one result doesn't mean you get more. The team are together in every moment, we fought, had good chances and individuals played good games.
“That is what gets you good results away in the league. To consistently do that is the challenge.”
Everton are likely to be without centre-back Yerry Mina until the final-day trip to Arsenal after the Colombia international was forced off with a calf injury at Leicester.
In the three matches Mina has played since returning from a thigh problem which kept him out for over two months, the club have taken seven points – although he was only on the field for 18 minutes at the King Power Stadium.
“Yerry has a small injury in his calf and so he won’t be playing,” said Lampard. “We’re probably looking towards the last game that he’ll be available for.”
