Frank Lampard bemoans ‘short straw’ ahead of Everton date at Burnley

Frank Lampard has insisted he is “excited” by the challenge facing Everton, who he believes have been dealt a bad hand by the Premier League.

Lampard, who took over the Goodison Park reins at the end of January, is well aware they are in a battle to save their Premier League status.

Ahead of Wednesday’s crunch fixture against relegation rivals Burnley, Lampard said: “There are nine games to go after this for us, but it’s a big pressure game. It’s what we’re here for. It’s a big deal.

“We’re in the reality that we’re near the bottom of the table, fighting to stay in the league. The club will be very focused and very understanding of that.

“Tension can be a good thing, it can also go the other way. I don’t feel tense, I feel excited with the level of the game and the competitive nature of this game.”

Everton sit just four points and two spots above 19th-place Burnley with 10 games remaining. And defeat for the Toffees a Turf Moor, after a tough run of games, would plunge them deep into the relegation mire.

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Lampard has complained about the fixture schedule, which saw his side travel away to West Ham last Sunday afternoon, away to Burnley on Wednesday, before a lunchtime fixture at home to Manchester United to come.

“We’ve drawn the short straw on the schedule, playing Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday early kick-off,” he said.

However, Lampard