Everton were dealt another blow in their bid for Premier League safety with a defeat to West Ham.
The Blues were beaten 2-0 in the Saturday afternoon clash at the London Stadium. A brace from Jarrod Bowen handed Everton another defeat which extended their winless run in the top flight to eight matches.
Frank Lampard was faced with questions surrounding his future in post-match interviews. Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri was in attendance to watch the game, and said ‘it’s not his decision’ when asked about Lampard’s future when leaving the stadium.
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Plenty of national media outlets were in attendance to watch Everton’s defeat. Here is a round-up of what they had to say.
Jacob Steinberg, via The Guardian
“Frank Lampard vowed to “dig in” after a damaging defeat by West Ham in a crucial clash at the bottom of the table left Everton’s manager clinging to his job.
“In a potentially significant development Everton’s majority shareholder, Farhad Moshiri, was at the London Stadium to watch Lampard’s side slip deeper into relegation trouble. Moshiri had not attended an Everton game since October 2021 and he could decide that it is time for a change of manager.
“Asked about Lampard’s future after the game, Moshiri said that it is not his decision to make. It was later clarified that any move would be agreed with the rest of Everton’s board. Having stayed away from Goodison Park before last weekend’s defeat by Southampton, the rest of Everton’s directors joined Moshiri at the London Stadium.
“They would have seen Everton’s fans hold up banners decrying “a board full of liars” and the team deliver another poor display. West Ham climbed out of the bottom three after two goals from Jarrod Bowen, potentially saving David Moyes from being fired, and left Everton in 19th place after a run of 11 defeats in 14 games in all competitions. It would come as little surprise if Lampard is fired.”
Riath Al-Samarrai, via Mail Online
“Frank Lampard is on the brink of losing his job at Everton after extending their miserable form with a dismal 2-0 loss at West Ham.
“Jarrod Bowen scored twice in the first half to inflict Lampard’s sixth defeat in seven Premier League fixtures, leaving Everton 19th in the table and only above Southampton on goal difference.
“Ominously, the one-sided loss at the London Stadium was watched by Everton owner Farhad Moshiri – the first time he has been present since October 2021 – and the Iranian offered his manager no public reassurances in the wake of a poor performance against their relegation rivals.
“When Moshiri was asked about Lampard’s future, he would only say cryptically: ‘I can’t comment - it is not my decision.’
“Moshiri left London Stadium without speaking to Lampard, though he will have to balance keeping faith with the former England manager against strong urges for a major change, especially with fixtures versus Arsenal and Liverpool next on their schedule. With sources indicating a win was essential for Lampard in the clash with West Ham, his prospects appear bleak.”
Mike McGrath, via The Telegraph
“It was the first time Farhad Moshiri had been seen at a game during Frank Lampard’s time at Everton, and as the afternoon wore on at the London Stadium it increasingly looked like he was witnessing his manager’s final match in charge.
“Moshiri, the Everton owner, had not been to a game since the end of 2021 and his presence in the West Ham directors’ box only served to highlight the predicament his team are in. They survived relegation in the final week of last season but have not progressed in the eight months since. In fact, they have gone backwards.
“In some recent defeats they have failed to hold onto a lead but in this game they simply never got started. Jarrod Bowen’s two first-half goals came with Everton barely laying a glove on their hosts.
“It was billed as “El Sackico”, with David Moyes also under pressure himself at West Ham and the loser would face losing his job. Moyes offered a gentle reminder that he took the club to the Europa League semi-finals last season.
“In his programme notes he asked for fans to stick with the players as they have changed the perception of the club across Europe. Now they are out of the relegation places after ending a run of seven matches without a Premier League win.
Tom Roddy, via The Times
“The London Stadium had seen plenty of sports since its opening for the Olympics in 2012 but never a sack race. This one fell favourably for the majority in attendance. Another defeat for Everton, leaving them teetering above the bottom of the Premier League and in a desperate position, means Frank Lampard’s return to the place where his footballing career began may be the end of his managerial spell at Everton.
“The man making that decision had made a rare appearance. Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri watched on for the first time in 14 months, alongside fellow board members, as the Merseyside club which has spent £700 million on more than 50 players in his seven years hit new lows, offering little attack while frequently hitting self-destruct in defence. Lampard was certainly not the target of fan fury.”
And the ECHO's Joe Thomas wrote in his match verdict:
"There are only so many times you can dress up a defeat. Everton have lost four of their five league games since the World Cup break. That run stretches beyond the unique six week opportunity to reset and improve to six of their last seven, and eight of their last nine if you include the Carabao Cup and FA Cup exits to Bournemouth and Manchester United respectively. It is a run so bad that flashes of brilliance, such as Demarai Gray's spectacular strike at Manchester City, or displays of fight and passion, like in the battling defeat at Old Trafford, do nothing to relieve the pain felt by supporters or the pressure that is now in danger of overwhelming Lampard.
"Everton are at a crossroads. There is a fortnight until their next game, when second bottom will face top and Arsenal will once again visit Goodison Park to the sight of fans in protest. One third of the transfer window remains and the club is on the cusp of strengthening but its squad desperately needs serious work. Off the pitch, in the hours before the players stepped out under sunshine in east London, the club's Fan Advisory Board submitted dozens of questions about the running of the club that showcased the mistrust, suspicion and concern running through sections of a terrified fanbase. The club has committed to engaging with that process but drawing up a satisfactory response may be beyond an organisation that appears broken.
"How those at the very top at Everton respond to each of those three challenges will be crucial. Something must change, that is clear - whether it be in the dugout, the genuine strengthening of a squad bereft of confidence and quality, or a real attempt to achieve what may be impossible and rebuild relations with the supporters, Everton's most powerful attribute on and off the pitch."
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