Under-pressure Lampard not seeking assurances on Everton future

Under-pressure Everton boss Frank Lampard has insisted he would never seek reassurances over his position as he declined to disclose the nature of "private conversations" he has had with the club hierarchy this week.

Everton sit 18th in the table after losing 4-1 at home to Brighton this week, and although Friday's fixture away to Manchester United brings a different focus in the FA Cup, there remains a febrile mood amongst fans.

"I’ve never and would never seek reassurances," Lampard said. "It’s part of my job to focus on the job in hand, day to day, game to game. I don’t need reassurances. I come to work to try to improve a bit every day – myself, the team, the squad and everything.

"I’m not hunting around for any reassurances."

Lampard said the club’s league position was not his immediate concern as he focuses on bringing about longer-term improvement.

"When you’re in and around this area that’s the reality," he said. "If we win the next league game we’ll be out of the bottom three probably. It’s part of the process.

"I’m very aware of what I came in to do in this job. I want to be a success at this club. Any challenges that come along then I’ll take them on and actually enjoy them.

"I enjoy working for this club, it’s a real honour for me. That’s why I say I don’t need reassurances. I’m a big man working for a great club and I’ll keep doing it."

Lampard said right-back Nathan Patterson faces six weeks out after suffering medial ligament damage on Tuesday.

"It's a blow, a freak one in terms of how he did the injury," he said. "It’s a big blow. He’s a young full-back. He’s come in, broken through and done well for us.

"It’s time for others to step up to that mantle. Six weeks sounds a long time but he’ll be back."

The Everton