Joleon Lescott has told Frank Lampard that Everton must find some momentum in the Premier League in order to avoid relegation.
After taking the lead against Newcastle United through a Jamaal Lascelles own goal on Tuesday night, the Blues were immediately pegged back when Mason Holgate put the ball in the back of his own net.
And Lampard suffered his first defeat as Everton boss after Ryan Fraser and Kieran Tripper scored in the second half to hand Newcastle a 3-1 win.
It was in stark contrast to the FA Cup victory over Brentford last weekend when the Blues ran out 4-1 winners at Goodison Park in Lampard's first game in charge.
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The defeat to Newcastle means that Everton remain 16th and just three points and two places above the relegation spots going into another huge game at home to Leeds United on Saturday.
And Lescott, working as a pundit for BT Sport, said after the final whistle that while it's not panic stations just yet, his old club must find some momentum to bring confidence back.
"He needs to get some level of momentum," the ex-Blues defender. "I don’t think that they are in a position to prioritise any fixture, but the Leeds game is huge.
"If they beat Leeds, they go level on points and then it brings confidence back, but I don’t think they need to prioritise any fixtures going forward, they just need to get points on the board, and build momentum that way."
Ex-Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee added that Lampard has to figure out his best formation as soon as possible.
Having only been in the job for a week, Lampard must now try and find a way to play transfer deadline day additions Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli while getting the best out of a returning Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
"I think Frank [Lampard] has got good players, but he has only been there a week, but now he has to work out what is his best formation, how does he get the best out of Deli Alli, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, how does he get him back firing goals again, how does he stop leaking goals," said Lee.
"But, I think if they get Demari Gray fit again, I think they have the players to get themselves out of it, but it’s fitting in all these players that he has got, into a system that Frank likes to play.
"I think if he gets that quickly, they will be okay."
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