Frank Lampard backs Everton players after fierce criticism of defeat by Spurs

Frank Lampard defended Everton’s players against accusations that they do not care but described their 5-0 thrashing at Tottenham as an eye-opener that must jolt them into life in their relegation battle.

Everton’s seventh loss in eight league games was the heaviest defeat of Lampard’s managerial career and brought fierce criticism of an underachieving team who could drop into the bottom three on Saturday before they face Wolves on Sunday.

Lampard hopes to address the culture of negativity among the supporters, saying he “smelled it”, but accepted that his team have to prove their commitment on the pitch after an abject display on Monday.

“It was a bit eye-opening for me,” he said. “That performance should be a jolt for everybody. I understand that if you are a fan of a club or work around a club and have seen it before then it is something that very easily can become really negative really quickly. And we can’t be negative. That’s my job now: to build players up and get them positive. Not be a cheerleader because there has to be some reality.

“I don’t want to build up players for no reason. But what I do see – and I’m generalising – is a group of lads who do care. There is no doubt about that. We’re 17th for a reason: before I got here. So we need to understand that I am not painting a pretty picture of a load of lads who care and it’s all going to be fine, I’m painting a picture that I know that they care but, proactively, what are they going to do about it?”

Lampard realises that changing the team’s reputation and bringing greater patience among fans is a long-term task, but in the short term he is encouraging his players to avoid the damning verdicts on social media unless they can cope with them.

“To change that