Gary Neville questions Everton fans' Frank Lampard support

Gary Neville has questioned whether last season’s fervent Frank Lampard support will ‘fade’ if Everton get off to a poor start next season.

The Toffees kick off their 2022/2023 campaign on Saturday when they host Chelsea at Goodison Park, but as it stands, Everton are without an available striker. Lampard confirmed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to be out for six weeks while Salomon Rondon is suspended from last season.

A combination of Calvert-Lewin’s injury record and Everton’s hesitance at bringing in a replacement has caused concern among Toffees fans, but they will be hopeful that another carnival atmosphere around Goodison could prove the difference over the course of the season.

Yet former Manchester United defender Neville has questioned whether Everton fans will keep up the incredible support from last season’s relegation run-in, especially if Lampard and his side are to make a slow start.

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“I hope Frank Lampard does really well at Everton, I hope Everton have a good season,” Neville told the Overlap. “But, that support [last year] comes from that desperate finish to the season where everyone has to come together, and you bonded. Is that support embedded through difficult moments?

“Let's say they won two in the first 10 [games]. Is that support in Frank Lampard embedded to the point whereby whatever happens, or if he has a bad run at the start of the season, will that support just fade straight away?”

Hosting Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea at Goodison will bring back fond memories for Lampard after May’s crucial 1-0 win provided the platform for eventual survival. He will be without the goalscorer from that clash after selling