Frank Lampard has instructed his struggling Everton gamers to take accountability for the Merseysiders’ slide into the Premier League relegation zone.
Lampard’s second-bottom group faces relegation rival West Ham on Saturday seeking to arrest a dismal run that threatens to ship them spiralling into the Championship.
Everton, with no win in its final 9 video games in all competitions, hasn’t performed outdoors the top-flight since 1954.
Last weekend’s dismal defeat at house to basement membership Southampton sparked post-match protests from supporters at Goodison Park.
Everton defender Yerry Mina and team-mate Anthony Gordon had been additionally confronted of their vehicles by livid followers after the Southampton debacle.
But amid requires Lampard to be sacked and Everton proprietor Farhad Moshiri to promote up, the previous Chelsea boss gained’t let his gamers blame others for his or her predicament.
“One of the earliest things I learned in professional football was that the minute you make excuses or try to apportion blame to anything else is the minute you fail,” Lampard instructed reporters on Thursday.
“The first thing I’d say to the players is not to look anywhere else but themselves. And don’t get me wrong, I have to manage people not just players.”
Everton is off the underside of the desk solely on objective distinction and defeat at third-bottom West Ham, the membership the place former England midfielder Lampard began his profession, could be an enormous blow to their hopes of avoiding relegation.
Lampard is aware of Everton’s morale is low after 10 defeats in its final 13 matches, however insisted his gamers should face the stark actuality of their scenario.
“I understand when things are difficult, a lack of confidence. You have to show them what the situation is and what the way out of it is,” he mentioned.
“But it is not kids football, there is a lot on, it is a job, it is business, it is professionalism, so you have to find a way out of it.
“It can’t all be nice. We need a confident group to try to get momentum and start getting better results.”
Lampard is assured Mina and Gordon gained’t be affected after their fan confrontations final weekend.
“Nothing as far as I know. I’ve spoken to them both,” Lampard mentioned. “I’ve been at teams where similar things have happened to myself and other players, so let’s not make this an Everton conversation.”