Frank Lampard did not namecheck Newcastle United as one of Everton's relegation rivals following the Toffees' crushing last-gasp defeat at Burnley. Maxwel Cornet's dramatic late strike sealed a 3-2 victory for the Clarets at Turf Moor on Wednesday night, and cut the Magpies' cushion to the relegation zone to seven points.
Newcastle have suffered three straight defeats including a thrashing in their last outing at Tottenham on Sunday. However, Eddie Howe's side had previously enjoyed a nine-match unbeaten Premier League run, and will be confident of putting more points on the board with a run of three consecutive home matches.
In contrast, Everton now sit just one point above the bottom three, and the Toffees' victory over Newcastle is their only success in their last seven outings. Lampard's side have picked up results at Goodison Park, but now face a daunting schedule with Manchester United, Leicester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all to come.
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The Chelsea legend insisted Everton's predicament is 'no different' to any of their relegation rivals, and did not name Newcastle as he listed his side's closest competitors. Asked if there was greater pressure on Everton because of the club's history, he told Sky Sports: "It feels the same to me, but whether that is true, maybe.
"It shouldn't be in absolute football terms but I understand it, the reality is what it is. We're no different to Burnley, Watford, Norwich or Leeds, or the teams around us.
"That's just where we are at as a football club. The players don't need to listen, or read, or get involved in anything other than turning up tomorrow and getting right for Saturday to get the results we need to stay in this league."
Everton have won just twice in the Premier League in 2022, and the decision to appoint Lampard as former Toon boss Rafa Benitez's replacement has so far failed to improve the club's fortunes. The former England international defended his side in the aftermath of the defeat at Turf Moor, insisting sides at the wrong end of the table do not 'normally string a lot of wins together'.
Lampard's claim is a testament to Howe's work so far in reviving Newcastle from a team who had only won once at the season's halfway point. The Magpies will be hoping to avoid a fourth straight defeat when they host Wolves on Friday night, but are now only a couple of positive results away from securing survival following an earlier run of six wins from seven matches.
When asked about reversing a cycle of negative momentum, Lampard answered: "I don't really talk like that. All of the teams around us are very similar, you look at the results, it's why we are where we are in the table.
"The reality isn't your normally string a lot of wins together and move freely up the table, the Premier League doesn't work that way. We have to not get too caught up in the words, look to the next game and keep working and preparing absolutely spot-on and give everything, because if we do mistakes like we made tonight, we better be ready to fight."
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