Frank Lampard has Everton opportunity as real test looms

They’ve now had the morning after the night before but Everton need to react to their dramatic victory over Newcastle United with a spring in their step rather than emerging fuzzy-headed with a St Patrick’s Day hangover. While match-winner Alex Iwobi was seemingly the most-composed person inside Goodison when he coolly slotted home his late winner some nine minutes into the allotted additional 16, manager Frank Lampard, who suffered a suspected broken hand among the wild celebrations, was right to proclaim: “My hand? I don’t care. Let’s just enjoy tonight.”

Given that the Blues boss was wearing his ‘civvies’ rather than the club apparel he usually dons for matches, perhaps he’d had plans for a big night out, enjoying ‘the craic’ in one of Liverpool’s biggest party nights of the year all along? The three points secured – seemingly against all the odds – were crucial for Everton but the same goes for being able to appreciate the moment in what on the whole has been a disastrous season of abject misery for this under-achieving side and of course their long-suffering supporters who deserve so much better.

Lampard’s players should note how jubilant such results have made them and use that energy to fuel their desire to crave more successes like it and attempt climb away from the danger zone. Building on what have been all-too-rare high points this term has been easier said than done though.

Only once – in the opening month of the campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion and Burnley – have Everton recorded back-to-back Premier League victories. Given that the 2-0 result at the Amex Stadium remains their only success on the road, it goes a long way to explaining why this is the case.

Lampard’s only other Premier League win so