Blackpool out to pile further misery on Frank Lampard’s beleaguered Everton side

The Toffees, who provide the opposition for Blackpool at Bloomfield Road today, narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship last season.

Mired with financial problems as a result of the club posting eye-watering losses, Frank Lampard is facing an uphill battle trying to strengthen his squad this summer.

Arguably the club’s best player Richarlison has left, opting to link up with Antonio Conte at Tottenham - a deal which brought in around £60m.

But at this point, only one new player has arrived in the form of defender James Tarkowski, who has made the move to Merseyside on a free transfer from Burnley.

It’s hardly been plain sailing for the blue side of Liverpool in pre-season either, finding themselves on the wrong end of a 4-0 battering by American side Minnesota United during the week.

That followed a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal during their tour of the USA.

Speaking after Everton’s humbling to Minnesota, Lampard was in no mood to mince his words.

“The players have to work and understand we were in a relegation battle for a big portion of last season,” the former Chelsea and England midfielder said.

“As a club, it [the Minnesota game] reinforced the situation in terms of what we need to do with the squad, because it has to be stronger that what we saw.

“There is no doubt about it. When you think of where we were last year, we have lost a big player in Richarlison…we wish him well, but our club now continues.

“We know there is a void in forward areas, we are short in numbers there. Also, through the team, there are things I want to strengthen, and I can be honest about that, because a club like Everton has to have a competitive squad.

“The players must be up for the fact they have to fight to play in the team. For me, that starts on day one of pre-season and ends at the end of the season.

“That’s the disappointing thing for me – the lads have trained well and trained hard out here but that performance [against Minnesota] should give them a lot to think about on the plane home, because it’s certainly given me a lot to think about.”