'Only option' - Frank Lampard explains 'important' Allan substitution after Everton defeat

Frank Lampard has admitted he must find a reason behind Everton's poor away form after another trip on the road on Saturday.

The Blues were beaten 2-0 by Southampton at St Mary's Stadium thanks to strikes in the second half from Stuart Armstrong and Shane Long.

Having looked strong against Leeds United in a rousing victory the previous weekend, the visitors on this occasion couldn't have looked much different as they failed to have a shot on target.

Everton have the worst away form in the Premier League this season, and Lampard believes that's a big reason behind why he is at the club.

He told his post-match press conference: "It's one of the reasons I'm here, our league position explains a lot.

"The table doesn't lie to that effect and we've not been getting enough results away from home for a while.

"It's my job to find a reason. The great stuff at Goodison is being backed by the fans and then having the input of the players on the pitch. It's been tremendous.

"What we're seeing away is that when we're in games, not flying but in games, and they turn against us - there hasn't been the reaction that I want.

"So some of that will be a mentality issue in terms of the confidence of the players. They have to believe they can get back and they have to find ways to do that. Today they didn't find a way.

"It wasn't tactical elements of the game that upset me because it was a match-up, it was the fact that we stopped trying to play - which we played earlier on in the game pretty well.

"When the game turned we reverted to type. Longer balls, lacking second balls, lacking belief in each other to play through or around the press.

"So a lot of things I saw today we'll have to improve to get results."

Defeat leaves Everton in 16th