"He definitely knows": Journalist drops big Frank Lampard claim at Everton

Journalist Pete O’Rourke reckons that Everton find themselves in a relegation battle heading into the business end of the season.

Frank Lampard suffered defeat in his first Premier League game in charge of the Toffees on Tuesday and has a huge job on his hands to try and steer the Merseysiders away from the bottom-three.

The 43-year-old enjoyed the perfect start to his reign when his side thrashed Brentford in the FA Cup on Saturday to set up a fifth round meeting with Non-League Boreham Wood. But while the Toffees moved one step closer to picking up a first piece of silverware for 27 years, their league form is concerning.

Therefore, heading to Newcastle in Lampard’s first game back in the top-flight, he would have wanted to get off to a positive start. Jamaal Lascelles’ own goal did open the scoring for Everton, but Mason Holgate turned into his own net soon after, before Ryan Fraser and Kieran Trippier struck in the second half to secure a 3-1 victory for the Magpies and leave the Toffees in serious trouble.

Everton are now within touching-distance of the relegation-zone, and O’Rourke believes that Lampard’s side are now firmly in the battle for survival.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I think it’s definitely a relegation dogfight that Everton find themselves in right now.

“He has a lot of time to turn things around, Frank Lampard, but if he didn’t know the task before he went in, he definitely knows about it right now.”

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Everton are one of just six sides that have never been relegated from the Premier League, but if they don’t improve soon, they could have a real battle on their hands to ensure that remains the case come May.

With the likes of Watford,