Everton’s once forgotten man becomes the backbone of the relegation battle

Fabian Delph has been preferred over Allan in the holding midfield role

After the relegation six pointer loss to Burnley, the Toffees feared that doomsday was near. Everton had no momentum and the players were struggling to put together performances that can drive them to safety. A strong reaction was needed against Manchester United.

Lampard started Delph against the Red Devils and the Englishman didn’t disappoint. He provided a solid base in the midfield while also spraying passes from the middle. Delph made six clearances, two interceptions and was not dribbled past throughout 84 minutes he was present on the pitch. The Royal Blues secured a much needed victory, aiding their fight in the relegation scrap.

Delph started the tie against Leicester and played the entire 90 minutes of a game for the first time since November 2020. Deployed in a holding midfield role, the former Manchester City man racked up another impressive performance, building on his strong display against United.

On the back of two spectacular performances, Lampard started him against Chelsea. Tuchel’s men were rattled by Everton and Delph once again passed the test with flying colours. With each performance, the midfielder won accolades even from the harshest critics.

Seven points out of a possible ten meant that the Toffees had responded to the cries of fans for brave and dedicated displays which eventually translated into success on the pitch. The Leicester City away tie was a crucial one as Burnley had lost their tie a night ago giving the Toffees a golden chance to jump out of the relegation zone with a win against the Foxes. But, the away record has been a huge dent in Everton’s season and prior to the game at King Power Stadium, Everton had just managed six points in 16 away games.