Andros Townsend makes Everton transfer window admission and Rafa Benitez fan claim

Andros Townsend has heaped praise on Frank Lampard for guiding ‘mentally broken’ Everton to Premier League safety.

Lampard took over the Goodison Park hot seat from much-maligned Rafa Benitez in January.

And the ex-Chelsea midfielder ensured the Toffees did not lose their proud top-flight status by securing survival on the penultimate day of last season with a dramatic 3-2 win over Crystal Palace.

Now Lampard is plotting for the 2022-23 campaign and will be determined Everton do not languish in the doldrums once again.

Townsend, speaking to talkSPORT, reckons how the Blues survived means Lampard will know exactly what is required in terms of the players he can ‘trust’ and who he wants to recruit.

Now the winger, who is currently recovering from an ACL injury, is adamant Everton have to use their enthralling end to last term as a springboard.

What’s been said

Townsend said: “Everyone knows my relationship with the previous manager.

“I know he wasn't liked much by the fan base but I had a great relationship with him from Newcastle and he took me to Everton when literally no-one else would touch me.

“But when Frank came in, he inherited a broken squad. Mentally, we were broken.

“For some reason, we couldn't get out of that losing mentality, that losing run - we couldn't shake it.

“Now we've survived, the manager will admit himself it's the best thing that could have happened to us.

He's seen which players he can trust, which players he can't, which players are menality up for the battle. He knows what he needs going into the summer.

“Normally, when a new manager comes in, you get a bounce and we might have finished 10th and he wouldn't have really got to know the players.

“He knows exactly what we need now going into the summer. Hopefully we can use this experience of a relegation (battle) - first and foremost never be there again but use it as a springboard to go on next season.”

‘We knew we probably deserved bricks thrown at the window’

Townsend could not play in the business end of the season, having suffered a knee injury in March.

But given the fans’ efforts during the period, raucously welcoming in the team coach and sending the players off at Finch Farm for away games, he still revelled in the experience.

“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” Townsend added.

“The fans came around and really played their part. An away game seeing off the coach, literally thousands lining the streets for home games and giving us a hero’s welcome.

“It was weird because we knew we didn’t deserve a hero’s welcome. We knew we probably deserved bricks thrown at the window but these fans realised the situation and worth to the team.

“Although it was a tough season, it was one of the best experiences of my life.”