Everton manager Frank Lampard has his butt up against the wall, saying his future at the club was out of his control after his side were clinically knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United following a 3-1 defeat on Friday. Having slid into the relegation zone after a 4-1 home defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday, the Everton team were unceremoniously booed off the pitch yet after a sixth defeat in seven matches, Lampard is seemingly unconcerned about his job.<\/p>\n
“That’s not under my control. It’s not for me to focus on that. It’s for me to focus on what I saw tonight and that was a performance that every manager wants with the attitude of the team, and the focus,” Lampard told ITV.<\/p>\n
“The focus now is Southampton (Everton’s next league fixture). I don’t want to talk about my future, I only want to talk about the players and how well they played.”<\/p>\n
Conor Coady did well to cancel out Antony’s opening goal in the first half but fumbled the ball in his own net after the interval to restore United’s lead. The Toffees had a goal ruled out for offside after a VAR review before a late penalty by in-form Marcus Rashford sealed their fate.<\/p>\n
“I think we deserved better,” Lampard added.<\/p>\n
“The players were very, very good in a sense of organisation, the game plan, the work ethic. Things which should be basics in football but people question them when you have a performance like we did the other night (against Brighton).<\/p>\n
“We were really good. We had the better chances I think. Good chances for us and a goal disallowed.”<\/p>\n
Everton\u2019s 9,000 visiting supporters were on the whole appreciative of the effort from Lampard\u2019s side and applauded their team off the pitch despite the FA Cup defeat. This prompted Lampard to opine that their favorable reaction showed his side could still turn their fortunes around.<\/p>\n
“When the players perform with the spirit of an Everton player, the fans will react to that. Even in defeat and that says a lot,” he added.<\/p>\n
“This league can change very quickly and when you’re in a difficult run you have to work really hard to get out of it but it can change.”<\/p>\n
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