Everton: Lampard 'will be delighted' with 'key trio' at Goodison Park

Everton’s new midfield line-up of Alex Iwobi, Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana have been ‘key’ to their recent upturn in form, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The trio have started the Toffees’ last two Premier League games together, resulting in back-to-back victories against West Ham United and Southampton either side of the international break.

Iwobi, who arrived from Arsenal for £34 million back in 2019, has revived his stuttering career following a switch from the wing to central midfield towards the backend of last term.

In the opening weeks of the current campaign, the 58-cap Nigeria international has racked up four assists in nine appearances, already bettering his highest tally for Everton in a single season already.

And Iwobi has been allowed to flourish thanks to the discipline of Gueye anchoring the engine room following his return to the club over the summer.

The Senegal international, who has racked up 94 caps for his country, has brought some much-needed experience to the middle of the park for Everton and has averaged more interceptions per league game (2.3) than any of his teammates.

Onana, a two-cap Belgium international who signed from Lille in August, has complimented the duo perfectly, producing an average of 2.6 tackles in every top-flight fixture, with only Nathan Patterson bettering that tally.

Everton looked in danger of being dragged into another relegation scrap after failing to win any of their opening five Premier League games of 2022/23.

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However, they now boast the best defensive record in the division and are comfortably in mid-table, and Jones believes Lampard will be ‘delighted’