Frank Lampard's Everton problem identified after Newcastle loss as Chelsea comparison made

Frank Lampard lost his first Premier League game with Chelsea 4-0 against Manchester United and he repeated this unwanted achievement in his debut league fixture for Everton against Newcastle.

A Mason Holgate own goal coupled with strikes from Ryan Fraser and Kieran Trippier respectively cancelled out a Jamaal Lascelles own goal that put the Merseysiders ahead briefly at St. James' Park against Newcastle.

It's a loss, despite it being the first as Everton manager, that keeps the Toffees within three points of the relegation zone with a game in hand on the victors from Tuesday night.

Most fans won't blame Lampard himself for the state that the current 16th placed team find themselves in, with Rafa Benitez the main culprit in that sense, but supporters can already gauge just how up against it the ex-Derby and Chelsea boss is with steering the ship back to safety after a rocky period.

"You've got to give Newcastle credit, they have come out firing, the crowd were lively and they were very effective," Lampard said via the Liverpool Echo after the loss on Tuesday.

"(Allen) Saint-Maximin on a night like this evening is pretty unplayable at any level the way he plays.

"I am very aware of the situation. There is no magic wand in a week. That's a bit of a process. I'm not asking for time and time and time because I know we need results. This is the reality of where we are at so it's not surprised me in a way because this is the Premier League.

"Some circumstances were against us but some things we have to reflect upon ask: 'Could we do better?

"I'm not surprised in that. I've come to a situation where we have to get better in a lot of things, so to come here and lose a game is disappointing but we mustn't sink into an idea where