Frank Lampard issues warning to Everton

Frank Lampard has issued a warning to his Everton players insisting they cannot relax despite the club securing two crucial victories. 

Everton stunned Leicester City on Sunday, making it ten points from five matches as they moved out of the drop zone into 16th on the log, one point ahead of both Burnley and Leeds with a match in hand.

Lampard has warned his players to ‘expect the worst’ in terms of results from their relegation rivals. 

“The only message is we have to go now and finish the job, which is a tough job,” the former Chelsea boss said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“We have to expect the worst. Everyone else can win, but we can control ourselves so there is absolutely no way we can relax. That’s the biggest message.

“To underestimate it because Watford are relegated would be our biggest danger. Every game in the Premier League is dangerous, especially when you travel away. The minute you think you have cracked it, it becomes dangerous.”

Sunday’s victory at Leicester was Everton’s first on the road in the Premier League since August but, with two more away games to come, Lampard wants to see more consistency.

“It’s a step forward,” he said. “Getting one result doesn’t mean you go and get more. You have to understand why we got the result — the team was together in every moment, fought for every chance, and defended very tight.

“That’s what gets you good results away from home and consistently doing that is the big challenge.”

Everton are likely to be without centre-back Yerry Mina until the final-day trip to Arsenal after the Colombia international was forced off with a calf injury at Leicester.