Frank Lampard's worst defeats as Everton manager

Frank Lampard is the next manager to have been chewed up and spit out by the poisoned chalice that is Everton Football Club.

Defeat to West Ham on Saturday proved to be the final straw, with the former midfielder receiving his marching orders at the start of this week. By doing so, Lampard has become the sixth boss to depart the blue side of the Mersey in as many years.

It was always going to be a challenge for a man that's yet to prove himself as a head coach, and his tenure was laden with drab performances and even worse results.

Here are some of the worst defeats Lampard suffered as Everton boss.

Tottenham 5-0 Everton - 7 March, 2021/22

The Toffees had shown plenty of fight the week prior in a 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City, and Lampard's stellar record against Tottenham as both a player and manager meant some supporters were optimistic that Everton could upset the odds in this Monday night clash.

The visitors, however, were nothing short of a dire and a Spurs side on the come-up under Antonio Conte took full advantage. Michael Keane set the tone when he booted one into his own net to give the hosts the lead before Jordan Pickford let a rather tame Son Heung-min effort squeeze underneath him.

Harry Kane tripled Spurs' advantage before half-time and by the 55th minute, they were 5-0 ahead before taking pity on their woeful visitors.

Crystal Palace 4-0 Everton - 20 March, 2021/22

We all remember Lampard's primitive summary of Everton's FA Cup defeat at Selhurst Park, right?

According to the already under-the-cosh Everton boss, the Toffees had been dismantled in the cup due to a bunch of weak goals.

"Allow a goal from a corner...allow another average goal...then a fluke goal...then another average goal. Take responsibility."

This was a big chance for the Merseysiders to play in a Wembley semi-final and offer their fans a hint of joy amid a bleak campaign. But, they failed to show up in south London as they were thumped 4-0.

Burnley 3-2 Everton - 6 April, 2021/22

This was billed as a mammoth relegation six-pointer. Everton had won just once since their drubbing at Spurs and, alongside Burnley, were fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table.

A Richarlison brace from the penalty spot overturned an early deficit in the first-half as the visitors matched their physical hosts in testing conditions. Everton proceeded to enjoy much of the second-half after they were pegged back by Jay Rodriguez just before the hour, but a pair of errors from Pickford and Ben Godfrey allowed Maxwel Cornet to snatch a seemingly crucial winner five minutes from time.

This was the night that many realised Everton were not too big to go down. Relegation was a very real prospect.

AFC Bournemouth 3-0 Everton - 12 November, 2022/23

After eventually clinching survival, Lampard sought to turn things around at Goodison Park at the beginning of the 2022/23 season. However, the Toffees enjoyed a winless start to the new campaign before a goalless draw in the Merseyside derby on matchday 6 ignited a mini-resurgence.

However, the dark clouds were forming over Lampard's tenure just before the World Cup as they suffered back-to-back humiliations on the south coast. Bournemouth beat Everton 4-1 in the Carabao Cup just days before they thrashed them 3-0 in the league.

The feeble visitors were bullied by an over-performing Cherries outfit at the Vitality Stadium and the travelling supporters made their feelings very clear at the final whistle as a despondent group of players walked over in appreciation of their support.

Everton 1-4 Brighton & Hove Albion - 3 January, 2022/23

This felt like the point of no return.

There had been little to suggest that Lampard was the right man to lead Everton forward either side of the World Cup, but a well-earned point at the Etihad at least offered a glimmer of hope. Still, the Toffees were winless in six games when a dynamic Brighton side came to town and put four past them in a chastening home defeat.

Goodison Park is meant to be one of the toughest places to go and win in the Premier League, but the Seagulls made the challenge look worryingly simple. Everton inexcusably conceded three goals in six second-half minutes to put the game beyond them as a powerless Lampard watched on in the home dugout.

Despite Demarai Gray's late consolation, this was a defeat that Lampard was never going to recover from.

West Ham United 2-0 Everton - 21 January, 2022/23

And yet Lampard managed to keep hold of his job for a few more pointless weeks.

He took the Toffees to London Stadium to face fellow strugglers West Ham, with pressure mounting too on Hammers boss David Moyes.

A first-half brace from Jarrod Bowen proved to be the difference. Fans unfurled flags at full-time protesting against the board. Only a handful of players came over to applaud their support.

It was over.