The relief was tangible come full-time at Goodison Park on Saturday as Everton earned a crucial 1-0 win over Manchester United.
Anthony Gordon 's goalbound but deflected shot ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides as a tenacious performance from the Toffees proved too much for a ramshackle Red Devils outfit to overcome.
After disappointing away defeats to West Ham United and Burnley, Frank Lampard will be delighted with the spirit shown by his players and comforted by the four-point gap that has opened up between Everton and the bottom three. There's every chance that margin could slip back to a point on Sunday, as relegation rivals Burnley travel to bottom club Norwich City.
