Frank Lampard responds to Jamie Carragher 'disgrace' comments with 'together' Everton message

Everton boss Frank Lampard has responded to Jamie Carragher's opinion that the club's players are a "disgrace" - and urged the importance of togetherness ahead of the vital home with Newcastle United on Thursday.

Former Liverpool defender and now Sky Sports pundit Carragher pulled no punches on Monday Night Football after analysing the Blues' 1-0 home loss to Wolves on Sunday.

The loss was Everton's fourth on the run in the Premier League and left them above the relegation places on goal difference only.

Speaking ahead of the visit of revived Newcastle to Goodison Park, Lampard was asked about what Carragher had to say.

"It’s the players’ job to answer that on a pitch," said Lampard, a former England team-mate of the boyhood Blue.

"The Wolves game wasn’t a disgrace. But I understand the analysis (in football). You look at Tottenham (where Everton lost 5-0) and I can say on a footballing level I didn’t like that game at all. I wouldn’t use that language (disgrace), but I didn’t like the game at all.

"We have to accept that people have opinions - people who care and who do their jobs in the media, not just Jamie. The players have to answer on the pitch. It’s the only way.

"You’ll be in positions like this so many times in your careers. We have to get together, individually and collectively, and answer on the pitch."

Lampard was appointed as the club's new manager on January 31 after the sacking of Rafa Benitez.

The Chelsea legend continues to be backed by supporters but, after the dispiriting defeat to Wolves, some fans made their feelings clear to the team before a deathly silence descended on Goodison.

But while the Blues' plight seems desperate, they do have games in hand on all of the teams around them, and victory