FRANKS FOR E VERYTHING

New boss gives Blues real hope

FRANK LAMPARD believes his Everton side created a blueprint for his reign in this FA Cup thrashing of Brentford.

Lampard claimed the biggest debut win of any Toffees manager in history thanks to goals from Yerry Mina, Richarlison, Mason Holgate and Andros Townsend.

And afterwards, he praised his new players for quickly getting in tune with his demands.

He said: “First and foremost, we’re an Everton team, we must be aggressive, we must sprint, we must tackle when the ball is there to be won.

“Those basics always have to be there and it was there in abundance today.

“When Anthony Gordon makes a tackle that leads to the third goal, those things are special and that’s what we work towards.

“That’s probably the real base and it made me very happy to see that.”

Everton wasted little time in showing that enthusiasm as they made a front-footed start to proceedings that saw the ball forced back to visiting goalkeeper David

Raya twice in quick succession. They were getting shots away too, with Richarlison dragging a leftfooter wide and both Gordon and Andre Gomes trying their luck from distance.

The latter attempt led to a corner that brought with it the first goal as Mina, who had replaced the injured Ben Godfrey after 13 minutes, headed in from Demarai Gray’s delivery.

Of Godfrey’s injury, Lampard said: “It’s a hamstring injury. It’s not good, he’ll be missing for a period of time depending on the severity of the injury.” Still, he had only positives to consider in terms of Gray, who seemed to be at the heart of everything good Everton did in their first outing under the new boss.

The winger almost put Richarlison in just before the break, before shooting wide after a mazy run through the centre.

That summed up a dominant first-half performance from the hosts, who picked up where they left off at the start of the second.

In fact they needed just three minutes to double their lead. It came courtesy of Richarlison, who capitalised on Raya’s misjudged attempt to come and meet an Allan dink over the top, to pass into an empty net.

Of course, things have rarely been straightforward for Everton this season, and their advantage did not last long before Jordan Pickford downed Ivan Toney in the box to allow him to coolly convert from the spot. However, if that setback represented the first real test of Lampard’s reign, Everton passed it with flying colours.

A further eight minutes had elapsed when another Gray corner was inadvertently headed goalward by Mads Sorensen, handing Holgate the simple task of nodding in from close range.

And they rarely looked threatened before wrapping things up in injury time, Townsend smashing home after a lovely link-up with fellow substitute Alex Iwobi.

That sealed a fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions for Brentford, ahead of their midweek trip to Manchester City.

Boss Thomas Frank (left) struck a realistic tone when asked about the possibility of his team claiming a confidence-boosting win in Manchester.

He said: “I’m very aware that we need to get back to winning ways but also very aware like everybody else that going to the Etihad is relatively difficult if you are a club in bottom 14.

“It’s very rare that anybody takes points there but we’re going there with belief that we can do something and get points.

“But we’re also aware that it’s one of the most difficult games of the season.”

‘‘

I am very aware we need to get back to winning ways... but going to the Etihad next is difficult

ef the new manager can

them somewhere – to mbley this season perhaps? o a new stadium and a hter future? Why not?

hy not believe? Of course e are tougher challenges to

e, but is the FA Cup too big sk this season?

took Frank Lampard (left) our on his debut as the new

ager to convince the rton supporters they had

lly got a young manager med with their own beliefs what this famous club uld look like

n the final whistle, after the t performance of the season by the Blues by far, he marched towards each stand in turn, fist pumping, arms raised aloft in salutation, a grin on his face as wide as the Mersey.

He stood in the middle of the pitch, by then completely alone, but surrounded by adoration.

The fans had waited, and they cheered, oh how they cheered, as much in relief as in celebration.

It is hard to express just how dark times had become here, the light in the fans’ eyes was extinguished long before Farhad Moshiri (above) called time on his mad-scientist’s experiment in appointing a Liverpool legend.

So Lampard didn’t have to do too much to be accepted. Walk in a straight line perhaps, and pronounce Everton correctly, mention the People’s Club. He managed all three.

But he did much more with this almost casual dismissal of Brentford. If the songs that bellowed out had not been heard here all season, then this brand of football hasn’t been witnessed either.

Everton were on the front foot throughout, bar a few minutes when Ivan Toney gave the visitors brief hope with a coolly taken penalty.

This was the Blues the fans know and love in the faces of the opposition, not passive and skulking like Benitez’s team.

Their energy – missing for the past six months – was epitomised by young Anthony Gordon, a dashing figure with a desire to take the game by the scruff, and the skills to do it.

He was given a standing ovation late on, his name ringing out across the stadium, just as Lampard’s name echoed on the final whistle.