Frank Lampard said Everton's first win of the season was a significant step as the club continues to build momentum.
The Blues had gone four games unbeaten in the Premier League before clinching a 1-0 win over West Ham United. But while Everton had proved resilient they were yet to secure their first victory of the season until Neal Maupay's stunning strike secured three points on Sunday.
Lampard had repeatedly stressed his side were making progress despite the wait for the win. He understood the importance of a victory, however, and said the result against West Ham would help to fuel the growing momentum at the club.
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Asked how crucial he thought the win was, Lampard said: "It was really important because it is an obvious fact - if you play well in lots of ways and don't get what you feel you deserve it still leaves the table not looking so great. I think [it is important] for the confidence of the group, to see that the work they are doing and the spirit they have got can bring results in terms of wins. We've started to fix some things. We are harder to beat. We don't concede so much. You saw by having Neal [Maupay] in the team what having that striker element can give you. I think it is great for the confidence, particularly going into the break, for the good feeling of players and club alike."
Following the final whistle Lampard went onto the Goodison Park pitch and took the applause of the stands. Questioned whether this celebration was due to relief, elation or simply marking the return of a 'winning feeling', he said: "Probably all of those things - to win a game where you are 1-0 up against a team with the physicality and the quality of West Ham who can pull it back, and they nearly did at the end to be fair. I think it is a win we just feel we have deserved in-house. We have worked a lot for it, the two weeks' work the lads have put in. I was lucky last year. We had a really good record at Goodison when I was here and you understand what that means to the fans. They have had three games now where we haven't got a win and I just felt it was natural [to go on the pitch], it was a good moment to win a game."
The victory comes with the Premier League breaking for a fortnight due to the international break. For Lampard, the win caps off the progress he believes has been made since the beginning of the season and provides momentum going into the return of the domestic game next month: "There is no doubting that because of how we have been playing, because of the feeling in the group. I think the feeling I have is the spirit is growing and the work and the application of the team is big. But you need a result to show for it and the fact we are not conceding so much and were unbeaten in four games going into this in the league is a great thing. But we all know we want wins and we want to see ourselves like we are, 13th now, and start thinking can we be moving in an upward direction? There is so much work to do on that front. But at this moment it is massive for us to get a win."
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