Everton face a possible first relegation from the top-flight since 1951, so need big finishes from Dominic Calvert-Lewin to Demarai Gray to remain a Premier League club this season.
The Goodison Park side head into their final six games of the term inside the drop zone on 29 points. Displays since appointing Frank Lampard to replace Rafa Benitez have so far not returned the results Blues owner Farhad Moshiri desired since making a change in January.
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Lampard has enjoyed just three wins from 12 top-flight fixtures at the helm before hosting his former team, Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge natives travel to Merseyside on Sunday, at which point Everton could be five points from safety but they will have two games in hand.
A major issue for Everton during Lampard’s tenure to date has been trouble scoring goals in Premier League games. The Toffees have only found the net 10 times under the England icon, half the tally of goals they have conceded across eight defeats and one draw to date.
Everton have additionally only scored twice or more in two matches under Lampard, both against a relegation rival with a 3-0 win over Leeds and in a 3-2 loss at Burnley. Their other five goals were shared against Newcastle, West Ham, Manchester United and Leicester.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Calvert-Lewin’s struggles finding form since returning from a quadriceps injury have played a major part in Everton’s difficulties under Lampard. The 25-year-old started the season on fire with three goals in three Premier League games, but has not found the net in 11 since.
He was sidelined from the end of August until January, and has faced further issues finding fitness since returning. Calvert-Lewin missed Everton’s last two matches with a quadriceps injury, and is a doubt to recover before Chelsea travel from west London to Merseyside.
Lampard will pray Calvert-Lewin can recover swiftly and start to find form if Everton are to avoid relegation this season. Nothing the striker attempted before his latest gripe seemed to work, either in the air, on the ground, in the build-up of moves or getting in good areas.
Calvert-Lewin finding form would be a game-changer for the Toffees’ survival hopes after hitting 16 Premier League goals last term. The England attacker is the ideal centre-forward when on form, with his movement able to drag defenders out of position for others to use.
Arsenal – who Everton visit on the final day of the term – are big fans of Calvert-Lewin for what he can offer. David Ornstein notes the Gunners are tracking how his and the Toffees’ season ends. The Sun also report Everton are prepared to sell him this summer for £60m.
Allan
How Allan performs in the Everton engine room will have a big say on if Lampard can guide the Toffees clear of the relegation zone. The Blues sorely missed the Brazilian while he was out of the side. But his form since returning has not been at the consistent level they need.
He shone against Manchester United after two games out as the Toffees pulled off a shock 1-0 win. But Leicester all too easily bypassed Allan three days later and his passing was too poor to merit continuing beyond the 58th-minute, when hooked for Dele Alli to come on.
Lampard kept faith in Allan bouncing back for the Merseyside derby, but he would not see a totally convincing performance. The 31-year-old shielded the Toffees defence well in the most, but he exited the action on a yellow shortly after the Goodison natives fell behind.
Michael Keane
Michael Keane was a near ever-present part of Lampard’s Premier League plans until the defender earned a sending off at West Ham. He gave referee Andre Marriner no choice but to brandish a second yellow card after his rash sliding challenge on Michail Antonio.
Lampard recalled Keane against Manchester United, but he could only produce a mixed performance. A better second-half with some crucial headers failed to outweigh nervy moments and sloppy passes before the break. He then fell to the bench against Leicester.
Keane would have remained in the dugout for the Merseyside derby had Ben Godfrey not sustained an injury during the warm-up at Anfield. His rushed inclusion failed to result in a fraught start, but his afternoon regressed and failed to track Divock Origi before he scored.
Ben Godfrey
Godfrey would have hoped to find form himself at Liverpool after some underwhelming displays. The Englishman gave Leicester far too much space to attack and made a costly error at Burnley, with his slice leading to Matej Vydra assisting Maxwel Cornet’s winner.
Yet despite the Foxes and Clarets enjoying some success against Godfrey, he has shown Lampard he can be a rock that keeps Everton up. The 24-year-old made some vital tackles, blocks and interceptions against Manchester United to stop Cristiano Ronaldo scoring.
Demarai Gray
Demarai Gray joined Everton as one of Benitez’s discount basket transfers last summer in a £1.7m move from Bayer Leverkusen. Yet he proved the catalyst for their strong start under the Spaniard, hitting three goals in four games. But he only has two in his next 24 outings.
The winger has additionally not found the net under Lampard with his last goals coming in December. Gray is now 13 Premier League appearances without scoring and has not given an assist in 19. He last created to feed Tom Davies in their 5-2 loss to Watford in October.
Rediscovering the impact that saw Garth Crooks hail Gray as ‘electric’ and as a ‘real talent’ could swing survival Everton’s way. It was not there against Liverpool as he cut an isolated figure and even more so against Leicester. His piercing runs were also a miss at West Ham.
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