Frank Lampard explains what he wants to see from…

Frank Lampard explains what he wants to see from Anthony Gordon 'next' at Everton

Frank Lampard and his coaching team are working closely with Anthony Gordon to help him take "the next step" in his development at Everton.

Gordon enjoyed an impressive breakthrough last season, consolidating his spot in the first team and playing an influential role in helping the Blues avoid relegation. Over an eventful summer he was handed the number 10 shirt and targeted by Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea - the latter bidding £45m for his services during the final weeks of the transfer window.

Amid that interest Gordon scored key goals at Brentford and Leeds United before the transfer window closed and discussions over a new contract have continued. The 21-year-old is suspended for the trip to Tottenham on Saturday after collecting five bookings in his opening nine games and, ahead of this weekend's clash, Lampard was quizzed over the conversations he was having with the starlet and the work his coaching team was doing with him at Finch Farm.

Lampard acknowledged he had spoken with Gordon in relation to the bookings but said his attention was on the academy graduate's wider game rather than discipline. He explained: “I don’t think it’s worth hanging on too much that he’s taken on too many bookings, I’m more worried about his whole game and just working with him on that front and the booking thing has been a small part of that too. I don’t want to lose him for a game, that’s the reality of it. Also, if you get an early booking, that changes the aspect of the game and in the modern day it’s so fast you could get a red. There are obvious reasons you’d want to address that and yes, I’ve spoken with him about it.”

Later, in the embargoed section of his press conference. Lampard was asked what that wider work with Gordon was, and what was the next stage for the England Under-21 international. And the Everton boss said: "I think it is more on Anthony's age, and where he is, that there is a lot of development to be done and I think what he has done is he arrived last season and showed all the qualities we want to see in a young English winger - pace, ability to beat a man and an eye for goal, and quality and good off the ball work ethic.

"I think, now, it is the next step for him and I think he just needs to absolutely focus on his dedication to training here and being the player that we all want him to be here, so that means working on everything, all parts of his game. Can he score more goals, can he assist more, can he be really aware off the ball and close down space? I probably worked with every winger - that has those sort of pacey attributes - at this club and I probably worked with every winger at Chelsea on similar things."

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