The Chelsea mistakes Frank Lampard is repeating as Everton cling to Premier League status

This was Everton's best away performance under Frank Lampard. It contained a dismal error leading to the decisive goal being conceded, a red card for the third consecutive Premier League game and a pitiful lack of attacking threat against a West Ham team that was some way off its best.

But it was still an improvement because what had preceded it was so bad from the division's worst travellers, who have taken two points from the last available 36. “Disappointed,” was Lampard’s initial assessment at London Stadium. “We deserved a point at least in general play. It was an afternoon when quite a few things went against us. There are things we can be happy about. If we carry on in that vein things will go in our favour.”

Believing that Everton deserved “at least” a draw was a stretch considering they were comfortably beaten on xG, managed two shots on target in the entire game and remained a defensive mess ripe for exploiting. But pouncing on even the slightest positive positive is a must in such a grim situation.

West Ham growth summed up by ability to win comfortably without performing well

While Lampard refrained from using his post-match media commitments to call his players out there was still a fairly typical line that will no doubt make some members of the dressing room bristle. "I am less worried about personnel and more worried about the character of the group,” he told Sky, a sentence that mirrored so many of those moments after poor Chelsea results when he spoke of “individual errors.”

Watching yesterday’s game unfold it was hard not to be reminded of the flaws that brought the end of his reign at Chelsea. They are present in this Everton side and the key difference is the group of players he is currently working