Frank Lampard's job of keeping Everton in the Premier League hit another hurdle on Saturday following the 2-0 defeat to Southampton.
Last week's terrific performance against Leeds United was followed up with a loss which many feel was well-deserved over the course of 90 minutes.
Stuart Armstrong and Shane Long condemned Frank Lampard's side to defeat and left the Toffees just four points off the drop, though they do have a game in hand over 18th-placed Watford.
Victory would have seen Everton rise into 14th and though there is plenty of time left to secure the points to avoid relegation, the club won't want to leave it until the last possible moment and will be to put Saturday's performance behind them.
Here's how the national media reacted to Everton's 2-0 defeat to Southampton on Saturday.
CONNOR O'NEILL: Frank Lampard sent alarming Everton message as poor decisions continue at Southampton
ADAM JONES: Everton can't match consistently amazing fans as Jekyll and Hyde display returns
Ben Fisher of the Guardian wrote:
Frank Lampard did not return to the dugout for a relegation scrap but Everton are firmly in danger after falling to an insipid defeat at Southampton. Stuart Armstrong struck before the Southampton substitute Shane Long sealed victory less than two minutes after stepping off the bench, heading in with his first touch to register his first Premier League goal in almost two years.
Jordan Pickford, who ensured Everton went in at half-time with the score blank, had a face like thunder. Southampton, meanwhile, can start thinking about making a play for the European places. At the final whistle, a smiling Ralph Hasenhuttl doffed his baseball cap towards a largely happy directors’ box.
Lampard made no attempt to sugarcoat what was a wishy-washy and, to use his words, eye-opening performance that allowed Southampton to stroll to victory. Everton have not won away from home since August. For Lampard, whose side face Manchester City next, the task is to find answers and quick after three of the four teams beneath them gained ground to narrow the gap to the relegation zone to four points.
“Our league position explains a lot,” Lampard said. “The table doesn’t lie to that effect and we’ve not been getting results away from home for a while. What we’ve seen in the away games is that when we’ve been in games – not flying, but in them – when we go behind there hasn’t been a reaction. We stopped trying to play. When the game turned we reverted to long balls, lacking belief in each other to getting around the press. A lot of things have to improve to get results away from home.”
Lewis Steele of the Daily Mail wrote:
What a difference a week makes. Last weekend marked delirium for Frank Lampard, yesterday he was served a stern notice of the seismic task on his hands.
His side thrashed Leeds last week but were brought crashing back down to earth yesterday with a thorough and well-deserved loss at Southampton.
A week on from being serenaded by Toffees fans and orchestrating their roars with fist pumps, Lampard cut a gloomy figure on the touchline and then admitted his relegation-threatened side lacked belief.
This is their worst points tally after 23 games since 1950-51 when they were relegated from the top flight. The honeymoon period is over for Lampard and results must come quickly and consistently.
- Rate the Everton players yourself
Dan Sansom of Sky Sports wrote:
Despite some promising build-up play from Everton in the opening 10 minutes, Southampton then dominated in every area of the field as James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu's mix of industry and ingenuity, as well as Kyle Walker-Peters' enthusiasm down the left flank, saw the visitors finish the game without a shot on target.
Southampton extend their recent fine run to just one defeat in 11 matches in all competitions with another impressive showing. They remain 10th in the table.
As for Everton, Frank Lampard thought he had generated lift-off with the 3-0 home thumping of Leeds last weekend in his third match in charge.
But the ex-Chelsea boss will need no telling that this loss - and a disappointing performance overall - leaves his side still flirting with a relegation battle. They stay 16th, four points above the drop zone.
Nick Purewal of the Independent wrote:
Frank Lampard thought he had generated lift-off with the 3-0 home thumping of Leeds on February 12 in his third match at the Goodison Park helm.
But the ex-Chelsea boss will need no telling that this loss – and the curiously supine performance – leaves his side still flirting with a relegation battle.
Lampard can be forgiven for still developing his managerial approach, but the tactical confusion that at times bedevilled his Chelsea team reared its unwanted head on the south coast.
Saints’ fans taunted their Toffees counterparts with chants of “you’re going down” at the death, while the visiting supporters launched a blue smoke bomb onto the field in frustration.
Saints dominated from the off, stifling Everton with a far more aggressive midfield approach.
