Lampard: Mitrovic deserved red card for horror tackle

HERE was a game that Frank Lampard the player would have absolutely loved.

High energy, plenty of pockets of space across midfield and an avalanche of opportunities to shoot, as he so often did with great success, from the edge of the box.

But for Frank Lampard the manager, though, this was agonising. He paced back and forth, arms crossed, a worrisome look etched on his face. Chance after chance came for Fulham, but it ended 0-0. The Cottagers for the first time this season had been shut out at home.

Lampard has gripes too — none less significant than a dangerous challenge on the ankle of Idrissa Gueye in the first half that only got Aleksandar Mitrovic a yellow card.

‘It’s a red card for Aleksandar Mitrovic, a strong challenge above the ankle,’ said Lampard.

‘It’s a challenge you see red cards given for. We should get that decision. I love Mitrovic, I’m not saying there was intent but it’s frustrating. That would change the game.’

It would have done, he’s right, but this was a game dominated by Jordan Pickford and Everton’s defence, more so than VAR’s decision-making back at Stockley Park.

Pickford in goal was magnificent, as were Conor Coady and James Tarkowski in front of him. All three, particularly Tarkowski and Coady, who find themselves with a chance for England’s squad for Qatar, will have given Steve Holland — Gareth Southgate’s assistant — who was here to watch, plenty to mull over.

Liverpool, Brentford, Brighton, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Aston Villa all failed to shut out Fulham in their opening six games at Craven Cottage. How Everton did, with Fulham mustering up 23 shots on goal, is credit to the resoluteness Lampard has instilled.

‘Jordan Pickford and their defenders deserve credit, they block everything but we did everything to win,’ Fulham boss Marco Silva said. ‘In football we have days like this. It’s the first game at home we have not scored, our philosophy and desire is right.’

Silva was right to pick out Everton’s defence but he will be asking how on earth his side, free-flowing for much of this one, didn’t put a number of brilliant chances away. After Dominic CalvertLewin raced clear three minutes in, only to get his cut-back wrong, Fulham came alive. First Willian was the guilty party, sending a free header six yards out wide of Pickford’s goal.

Then, in the space of three minutes, Pickford pulled off three out-of-this-world fingertip saves to deny Willian, Mitrovic and Harrison Reed. A nod of approval came from Holland in the directors’ box.

Neeskens Kebano and Andreas Pereira had plenty of energy and fervour to build attack after attack and more chances would follow in part two of this epic show, with Willian among the leading actors.

After cutting inside midway through the second half his effort was tame, much to his and his manager’s frustration. ‘We deserved more, we created a lot of chances today,’ the Brazilian said.

‘At least we got one point. We should have got at least two goals.’

Willian is right, they should have done, but the fact they didn’t told us more about Everton’s defence than it did Fulham.

ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC stands on the leg of Idrissa Gueye (above) but it’s a challenge that lacks intent. It was seen by referee John Brooks — who booked Mitrovic — and was checked by VAR Darren England, who agreed there had been no clear and obvious error. Had a red card been shown, however, it wouldn’t have been overturned. As for the Fulham penalty appeal, when Willian goes to ground under a challenge from Gueye (left), again VAR checks it. I’m not sure there’s a foul but, if there was, any contact was minimal.