LAMPARD LIFT
Everton cure away-day blues to move out of bottom three
FRANK LAMPARD’S last trip to Leicester effectively signalled the end of his stint as Chelsea boss. His latest could be the one that ensures Everton’s Premier League survival.
Before this fixture, Everton had lost all six of their away games under Lampard and, even though Leicester were down in the dumps after losing at Roma last midweek, it still looked a tall order for a visiting side who had not won on the road since August 28.
Instead, roared on by 3,301 travelling fans, victory moved them out of the drop zone and left them targeting three on the spin when they face relegated Watford in midweek. With Leeds losing at Arsenal yesterday and Burnley losing to Aston Villa on Saturday, Everton now have a one-point cushion to the bottom three.
When Chelsea were beaten 2-0 at the King Power Stadium on January 19, 2021, Lampard was out of a job six days later. Though his side rode their luck at times yesterday, his tactics — sit deep and use the pace of his forwards on the break — were vindicated. He deserved his moment at the end as he applauded the fans with blue smoke filling the sky.
Leicester, on the other hand, have now gone five without a win in the league and were booed off.
First-half goals from Vitalii Mykolenko and Mason Holgate — either side of Patson Daka’s equaliser — ensured Everton led from the half-hour mark. Just as they did to beat Chelsea last week, they needed decisive contributions from Jordan Pickford to keep them ahead, the England keeper saving from Nampalys Mendy and twice from Harvey Barnes.
‘Jordan gives the team huge confidence,’ said Lampard. ‘You need goalkeepers to make big saves and I’m pleased he’s getting the recognition he deserves.
‘He is not just England’s No1 but one of the top goalkeepers in the world. For some reason, you don’t always get the recognition you deserve as England’s No1.
‘A week ago, we were five points away from safety and now we are a point above the relegation zone. But we are still in a relegation fight and nothing is done. We need to protect against over-confidence.
‘Our away form has been a problem and there has never been a more important time to put it right. The players knew we needed to change our form without the Goodison Park crowd behind us — though fortunately we had a version of it here.’
Given Everton’s appalling away record, it was no surprise to see them on the back foot from the outset. Fabian Delph dawdled in midfield, allowing Kelechi Iheanacho to release Daka. His angled shot beat Pickford but Yerry Mina made a fine recovery.
Iheanacho was flagged offside soon afterwards and, as Pickford rowed with his defenders, this was shaping up to be a tough day for Everton. Then, in the sixth minute, they led.
Alex Iwobi lofted the ball to Mykolenko, who made the most of his freedom 20 yards out to send a sweet volley beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
It should have been 2-0 five minutes later. Abdoulaye Doucoure broke swiftly and found Demarai Gray on the left. When the ex-Leicester winger cut the ball across, Doucoure nearly forced it home only for Schmeichel — who had fumbled initially — to gather in the nick of time.
It was a vital moment as Leicester were level seconds later. Schmeichel quickly sent the ball downfield, where Iheanacho helped it on. Mina and Seamus Coleman collided trying to head clear.
Daka raced on to the loose ball and finished confidently. Mina’s injury was compounded when he went off in the 18th minute.
Leicester were moving the ball with purpose and Daniel Amartey was just off target from 30 yards.
Yet no matter how well they attack, Leicester remain flimsy at set-pieces.
Sure enough, Richarlison jumped between Wesley Fofana and Jonny Evans to win a header at goal from Gray’s corner, and though Schmeichel saved it, Holgate nodded in the rebound.
That was the 23rd goal Leicester had conceded from a set-piece this term, and the 19th from a corner.
Eight minutes into the second half, Youri Tielemans presented Gray with the ball and, though Fofana half-stopped him, Richarlison collected and found the impressive Anthony Gordon on the right. The winger’s drive was powerful and Evans made an important block.
Everton looked relatively comfortable at the back, but Pickford was at full-stretch to keep out Mendy’s rising effort from 20 yards. Then Daka headed Iheanacho’s cross into the path of Barnes and Pickford showed superb reflexes to turn behind.
With 20 minutes left, Barnes was thwarted again as he cut in from the left and aimed for the bottom corner, only for Pickford to parry.
With space opening on the counter, Richarlison and Gordon nearly combined for the third, Amartey stepping in to stop the Brazilian converting Gordon’s return pass. At the other end, Barnes came close again when he should have hit the target with a header from Timothy Castagne’s perfect cross.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers revealed he had an ‘honest conversation’ with his players afterwards.
‘I normally don’t say so much to the players after games but today was hugely disappointing and we need honest feedback to go forward,’ he said.
‘The players were very open and honest in the conversation, and that is the best way. The biggest disappointment was to concede the goal from the corner. It was just about sheer determination to defend the ball into the box.
‘It’s on me and I need to keep looking at that until the summer, when we can do something about it.’
LEICESTER (3-4-2-1): Schmeichel 6; Amartey 6, Fofana 6, Evans 6; Castagne 6, Tielemans 5, Mendy 5 (Vardy 66), Dewsbury-Hall 6; Iheanacho 5, Perez 5 (Barnes 46); Daka 6 (Lookman 80). Subs not used: Ward, Soyuncu, Albrighton, Choudhury, Thomas, Soumare. Booked: Mendy, Amartey. EVERTON (5-4-1): Pickford 8; Iwobi 7, Coleman 6, Mina 5 (Keane 18), Holgate 6, Mykolenko 6 (Kenny 66); Gordon 7, Doucoure 7, Delph 7, Gray 6 (Rondon 74); Richarlison 7. Subs not used: Begovic, Allan, Calvert-Lewin, Begovic, Gomes, Alli, Welch. Booked: None. Man of the match: Jordan Pickford. Referee: Craig Pawson. Attendance: 32,001.