Frank Lampard critics are wrong and Chelsea win showed why he should stay at Everton next season

Unlike predecessor Rafael Benitez, Frank Lampard ‘gets Everton’ and it’s best for both him and the club if he stays on as manager next season regardless of what division they are in. As their all-time leading goalscorer and as Football.London’s chief Chelsea correspondent Adam Newson told the ECHO before last weekend’s fixture, as someone widely-regarded as being their best-ever player, Lampard will always, quite rightly, be a true legend at Stamford Bridge but that was his past and the Blues of Merseyside are now very much his present and hopefully future too.

The bond between Lampard and Everton’s loyal but long-suffering supporters was an instantaneous one. His name was sung (positively) by the Goodison Park faithful from his first game in charge, the 4-1 victory over Brentford in the FA Cup, an accolade only afforded to one other of Farhad Moshiri’s half dozen hirings in the dugout, Carlo Ancelotti, and the mutual affection and respect has been there ever since, regardless of results.

Any potential doubters, and there can’t have been many of them, who might have wondered where Lampard’s loyalties lied when Everton faced his previous employers on Sunday need only look at the Blues boss’ reaction when Richarlison’s goal hit the back of Edouard Mendy’s net - or the way he again went over the salute the Gwladys Street after the final whistle following another emotionally-charged day. In contrast, despite being one of the most-dedicated professionals in the game it took Phil Neville over three years and a bone-crunching tackle on former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo until Evertonians finally accepted the ex-Old Trafford stalwart as truly one of their own.

In his pre-match press conference to preview