Everton boss Frank Lampard started off on a winning note
After the fantastic start, Frank Lampard cannot rest on his laurels or enjoy the FA Cup thumping of Brentford. A key week of Premier League action sees Everton travel to Newcastle on Tuesday night in a battle Lampard cannot afford to lose.
The remit for Newcastle and Eddie Howe is even more desperate and they will be looking to grab three points to ignite their survival bid. A win would put the Magpies only a point behind Everton and out of the relegation zone if other results go their way on Tuesday night.
Therefore Lampard has to assess a very difficult challenge, Newcastle made five signings in the January transfer window and will have a completely different look to the last time they played 17 days ago. This will be our first area to analyse and see if we can judge how Newcastle will set up.
Secondly, Lampard has his own dilemmas, one in which formation to play to combat Newcastle and ensure Everton continue the momentum from the FA Cup victory over Brentford. The players available to him will play a big part in this decision.
Then who to play in defence with Ben Godfrey now confirmed to be missing for four to five weeks with the hamstring injury, this certainly limits the mobility of the Everton backline.
The most complex decision for Lampard and his coaching staff will be the midfield and whether they include the new signings now available after being cup tied at the weekend, this will be an intriguing and key dilemma that Lampard must get right.
In the forward ranks, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is available after missing Saturday’s win so surely he will be included but at who’s expense? Richarlison scored, Anthony Gordon was brilliant again and Demarai Gray has been the outstanding forward so far this season.
While Lampard has possibly had the best week a new manager can have, a defeat at Newcastle will put Everton right in a relegation scrap and the importance of the match cannot be ignored.