Frank Lampard's revealing Everton comment that will make Newcastle United fans - and Eddie Howe - smile

Since the turn of the year, a four-team relegation dogfight between Norwich City, Watford, Burnley and Newcastle United has turned into a seven-team battle due to the poor form of Everton, Brentford and Leeds United.

The Toffees’ heavy defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium leaves them just one point above the bottom three with 13 games remaining.

Manager Frank Lampard – who has lost four out of five league games since taking charge at Goodison Park – remains confident of survival, but feels a quick turnaround was simply “not possible” for his side.

He told Sky Sports: “We haven't been here long, and I didn't walk into the building with a magic wand and say actually ‘this team that has won one in 14 will go on an unbeaten run, and we'll be mid-table’, it's not possible.

"You've seen that with managers that change through the Premier League this year, it takes, sometimes, a bit of time to get the work together.”

The former Chelsea midfielder’s comments may prick the ears of Newcastle fans who have witnessed their club go from winless in 14 matches to putting together an eight-game unbeaten run in the Premier League under head coach Eddie Howe.

It’s Newcastle’s longest unbeaten run in the top flight in over a decade, and it’s taken them up to 14th in the table.

Although Howe needed some time to get the best out of his United side, he has quickly proven that it is indeed possible to have such a dramatic turnaround.

Newcastle travel to face Everton at Goodison Park on March 17. But before that, The Magpies face trips to Southampton this Thursday and Chelsea on Sunday, as Everton host Wolves.

Everton could find themselves in the Premier League relegation zone by the time they play their next game.

But Lampard is looking forward to back to back home matches as he hopes to guide The Toffees clear of trouble.

“I can't wait for the two games we've got coming up at Goodison,” he added. “We can't just think because we're at Goodison we'll be fine because it's two really tough matches on paper.”

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