Forget Alli: Lampard already has an “inspirational” star in Everton's £42k-p/w menace - opinion

Everton made a fantastic comeback from the winter break with a new manager in tow after appointing Frank Lampard and a winning 4-1 team performance that saw the Toffees secure their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup facing Boreham Wood next month.

There were outstanding performances across the team in the clash against Brentford with Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate, Richarlison and Andros Townsend all finding the back of the net to secure progression in the domestic competition, with the new manager clearly making a good first impression in his debut game as manager at Goodison Park.

One player who was fighting for his place in the team was Demarai Gray, who will have to compete for his spot in the team following the arrival of new signing Dele Alli, and he did not disappoint at the weekend, giving Lampard a headache over his team selection for the Premier League game on Tuesday night.

Although the 25-year-old did not score on Saturday, he was a key player in the attacking flair the Toffees side imposed on Brentford, and helped his teammates by breaking down the Bees defence on numerous occasions.

According to SofaScore, Gray was the second-highest rated player on the pitch after Mina (7.6), with more touches on the ball than his teammates in the forward line, winning six out of nine of his duels and bagging an assist for the opening goal.

The £42k-per-week attacker, who was hailed “inspirational” by Martin Keown, has been hugely impactful this season and is currently the second-highest Everton goal scorer and joint top for assists this season, with one of his most notable performances against Arsenal when he scored a wonder goal to seal the win in the 92nd minute.

With that being said, it should give Lampard food for