"We have to take the night on the chin and look forward" - Frank Lampard reflects on first Premier League defeat as Everton manager
New Everton manager Frank Lampard has reflected on his first Premier League defeat as the Toffees boss. The Merseyside club fell to a 3-1 defeat to Newcastle United at St James' Park, leaving themselves just three points off the drop zone.
Everton lost Demarai Gray and Yerry Mina to injuries in the first half itself. Even though they took the lead through Jamaal Lascelles's own goal, they couldn't hold on to it for long. It allowed Newcastle to equalize through a Mason Holgate own goal.
Ryan Fraser and Kieran Trippier inflicted further misery upon Frank Lampard's side, scoring once each in the second half to help their side to a 3-1 win. Following his first league defeat as Everton manager, Frank Lampard said:
"The injuries didn't help, injuries to two big players. (First) Demarai Gray, we looked dangerous in the early stages of the game in moments and I thought we were growing into it and then Yerry Mina is obviously a big player for us. So not only do you lose personnel and have to bring in personnel."
He added:
"Dele [Alli] has come on, he hasn't played so much recently. Jarrod comes on, who has played a handful of games for the club so difficult in that period and obviously it made it difficult for changes to be made in the later stages of the game. In the second half you have to be careful, you have got one sub left."
Lampard also said:
"So circumstances were against us. But some things we have to reflect on ourselves, things we can do better. I've come here in a situation where we know we want to get better at a lot of things. So to come here and lose a game is disappointing. But we must not sink into the idea of letting feeling and confidence go down. We have to take the night on the chin and look forward."
"We've been here a week, seen a very good performance and a not-so-good performance. We have to remain confident, see the things we can do better and we have to address them."
Frank Lampard's #NEWEVE reaction: https://t.co/lZwzCJwwcN
Everton manager Frank Lampard gives update on Demarai Gray and Yerry Mina's respective injuries
Everton boss Frank Lampard also gave an update on the injuries Mina and Gray picked up during the Newcastle encounter. Speaking of the Colombian defender's injury, the Englishman said:
"It's a quad injury. We're slightly concerned about it, but we'll have to assess over the next few days. Obviously losing Ben the other day makes it a double-whammy in an area of the pitch where they're two big players for us."
Lampard further said:
"We'll have to look at ways going forward to players that come in with the way we set up to move forward. They're big players for us, but we'll have to try and find a way to move forward without them at least."
As for Demarai's injury, he added:
"Demarai's is a hip injury, which he's had previously and come back from quickly, so we're hopeful on that one."
"Yerry’s a muscle injury, his quad. Demarai was a hip. We are hoping with him it’s not too bad. It’s something that he’s had before that he got over quite quickly but, with Yerry, we’ll have to assess him over the next few days."
The boss on injuries sustained in the first half. https://t.co/D5qs0rO7wA