Frank Lampard: Everton stay with manager despite growing threat of relegation in Premier League | Football news

Everton’s hierarchy do not believe the firing of Frank Lampard will improve their prospects of staying in the Premier League at this stage, despite the mounting threat of the club’s first relegation from the top league in 71 years.

That’s not to say Everton has decided to stay with Lampard until the end of the season, regardless of the results.

There is real concern about Everton’s predicament at board level, Sky Sports News has been told, with the club losing six of their last seven Premier League games.

Rumors of a possible return for Sam Allardyce are wrong, Sky Sports News has been told.

Nevertheless, independent agents outside the club are believed to have weighed other management options should Everton’s board decide to make a change.

Asked about his future during his press conference on Friday, Lampard said: “I know the rules, I have no problem with that. In my relatively short managerial career I spent 18 months at Chelsea, where I was always probably two games off the track. “

“I am proud to be a manager here and to continue the history of this club in a positive way.

“The fans live and breathe this club. I’m only here for five minutes, but so am I.”

If Everton were to be relegated they would be in serious financial straits, with very few first-team members with contracts that automatically expire should the club reach the championship. Sky Sports News understands.

That would probably mean that a complete overhaul of the squad would be inevitable.

Last month, Everton revealed a £121m loss for the period to June 2021 – the third consecutive year with deficits exceeding £100m.

Their accounts took another major blow when the EU and the UK imposed sanctions on one of the club’s main sponsors, Alisher Usmanov, which led to Everton suspending sponsorship deals with Russian companies USM, Megafon and Yota.

That shows the club’s reliance on money brought in by owner Farhad Moshiri, whose patience will be tested when Everton are knocked out of the top division for the first time since 1951.

‘Very dangerously close to the doomsday scenario’

Former Everton defender Alan Stubbs told Sky Sports after Burnley’s defeat:

“In terms of giving the players a boost and some breathing room, it was a huge game. How damaging it is, time will tell. I said before the game it was a game Everton couldn’t miss to watch. losses.

“After putting themselves in a really good position, unfortunately, like many other games this season, they have found a way to lose the game.

“Running to lose is the same as when you win. You don’t think about it, but psychologically when you lose, with every match that goes by, you start to doubt yourself more and make the wrong decisions.

“That’s where Everton are now. When an opposition manager says at halftime that this team doesn’t know how to win a football game away from home, it tells you everything you need to know about the state of Everton.

“They had chances to win and realistically should have won the game, but they’ve done this on numerous occasions this season where they weren’t able to see games and their defense was at a really bad level, which made them the opposition back in games.

“It’s pretty depressing as an Everton fan when you look at the games – it’s hard to say where the points are coming from. Everton have had a result out of the blue in the past and I wouldn’t be surprised if at home on Saturday [to Manchester United] they had to get results.

“But I don’t have much hope. Brentford at home and Watford out aren’t going to be easy, so you start scratching your head. It’s unbelievable to digest that Everton are in this position at this stage of the season.”

“There are some fans who say Frank Lampard made some mistakes, but in the end these are the same players who worked before him in the managers. It’s not about getting rid of Frank Lampard now.

“It’s about the players trying to do whatever it takes to get a result and get Everton out of the mess they are in. Too much blame has been put on the managers but there is at the moment so much wrong at Everton – from board level. the way to the field.

“The players have to somehow find enough desire and spirit to get Everton through this season and keep them in the league. It’s getting dangerously close to doomsday. This is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen as Everton fan.”

Southall: Everton players are too nice

Former Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall:

“Everton makes foolish mistakes that cost them money. When you score two goals away from home you expect to win the game. When you are in a relegation battle you either expect your keeper to be worthless which he is not or for him every week man of the game – which he hasn’t been – so there must be positives.

“There’s a lot of media coverage of the negatives, but we’ve got 27 points to play for and Saturday we’ll have Manchester United. As a kid growing up, that’s who you want to play against to show what a good player you are. .

“There’s no use looking back. My heart tells me they’ll hold up, while my head says they’ll struggle. Dominic Calvert-Lewin will definitely score in the end and it’s all about the players now during the training week. take the pressure off.”

“The players have to remember that at the end of the season they can’t have any regrets and put everything into the games. It’s all about character and right now we’re a really nice bunch of players who are too easy to beat.”

Everton’s remaining matches

Apr 9 – Man Utd (h)

20th of April – Leicester (h)† live on Sky Sports

April 24 – Liverpool (a)† live on Sky Sports

May 1 – Chelsea (h)† live on Sky Sports

May 7 – Leicester (a)

May 10th – Watford (a)

15 May – Brentford (h)

May 19 – Crystal Palace (h)

May 22nd – Arsenal (a)