Frank Lampard admits he’s been impressed by the maturity and work-rate of Anthony Gordon even during Monday’s 5-0 Premier League drubbing at Tottenham Hotspur, speaking to the Liverpool Echo.
A homegrown academy graduate carrying his overpaid, underperforming colleagues on his shoulders, delivering consistently impressive performances week-in, week-out for a side performing well below expectations.
Ring any bells, Arsenal fans?
There are certainly similarities between the way Anthony Gordon is performing and the way Bukayo Saka almost single-handedly dragged Arsenal out of the mire at times during a miserable start to the 2020/21 season.
And as Everton hit rock bottom in North London, blown away by one of Harry’s Hurri-Kane’s, Gordon was perhaps the only player in Toffees blue who did himself any justice on the night.
Not for the first time either.
Is Anthony Gordon Everton’s most consistent player?
“I came through myself as a local lad through a club,” says Lampard, referring to his time as a fresh-faced youngster at West Ham.
“All I’ve seen is a lad who trains really well with a real desire. I see the reaction of the fans to him. Against Tottenham, (Gordon) was by far and away our best player. He’s a mature player.”
Gordon has already made nearly twice as many Premier League appearances this season (22) as he during his previous two top-flight campaigns combined.
He even opened his professional account for the Merseyside giants in one of those typically livewire performances in January. During that 3-2 defeat at home to Brighton – and in the recent loss at Newcastle United – Gordon again Everton’s stand-out performer. The only player willing to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and stamp his authority on proceedings.
In fact, it’s been that way for much of the last few months.
That is as much a reflection on Gordon’s maturity and self-confidence as it is the rest of this Everton squad.
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