By Richard Martin
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Everton manager Frank Lampard said his future at the club was out of his control after his side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United following a 3-1 defeat on Friday.
Everton slipped into the relegation zone after a 4-1 home defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday and were booed off the pitch but after a sixth defeat in seven matches, Lampard insisted he was not worried about his job.
“That’s not under my control. It’s not for me to focus on that. It’s for me to focus on what I saw tonight and that was a performance that every manager wants with the attitude of the team, and the focus,” Lampard told ITV.
“The focus now is Southampton (Everton’s next league fixture). I don’t want to talk about my future, I only want to talk about the players and how well they played.”
Conor Coady cancelled out Antony’s opening goal in the first half but then put the ball in his own net after the interval to restore United’s lead. Everton had a goal ruled out for offside after a VAR review before a late Marcus Rashford penalty sealed their fate.
Everton also had forward Alex Iwobi carried off on a stretcher and Lampard said the player had damaged ligaments in his ankle and was in crutches.
“I think we deserved better,” Lampard added.
“The players were very, very good in a sense of organisation, the game plan, the work ethic. Things which should be basics in football but people question them when you have a performance like we did the other night (against Brighton).
“We were really good. We had the better chances I think. Good chances for us and a goal disallowed. Marcus Rashford was probably the difference between the teams. A top individual talent can do that to you.”
The 9,000 visiting supporters largely applauded their team off the pitch after the FA Cup defeat, and Lampard said their reaction showed his side could still turn their fortunes around.
“When the players perform with the spirit of an Everton player, the fans will react to that. Even in defeat and that says a lot,” he added.
“This league can change very quickly and when you’re in a difficult run you have to work really hard to get out of it but it can change.”
(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
