Everton manager Frank Lampard pinpoints key to improve away form ahead of trip to Leicester

Frank Lampard has said his players must ‘have the discipline’ to carry out a gameplan away from home if they are to ensure Premier League survival.

The Toffees have a tough game at Leicester this weekend before a midweek trip to Vicarage Road to take on Watford on Wednesday.

Sunday’s colossal win at home to Chelsea - their third home win in a four-game unbeaten run - proved once again that Goodison Park can make the difference, with a carnival atmosphere in and around the ground catching a lacklustre Blues off guard.

But if Everton are to retain their status as the longest-serving top-tier side in English football, they will need to pick up points on the road - preferrably starting on Sunday.

And Lampard has called on his players to show discipline when sticking to a gameplan and fighting on the road as they do at Goodison.

“We have got three away games to go, and we have to change that [form],” he told evertontv. “We can’t rely on our home matches. We have to be really ready for Leicester.

“The players have to understand a gameplan is important and have the discipline to do it through the whole game.

“Against Chelsea, we had a plan to work through the game, but the players also showed the extra bit – the extra effort which is the magic to get you a result.

“We deserved to win the game. Jordan Pickford made great saves – people will highlight that and rightly so – but we also had chances to make it a more comfortable win for us. It was absolutely brilliant from everyone.

“We need to be a unit that fights in these five games like we did against Chelsea.

“Whether the players start the game or come on as a sub, the squad has to be together. They showed against Chelsea that they are, but that means nothing if we don’t follow it up.

“We have to follow it up.”

Toffees must build on Chelsea win

Away form has been a point of concern for Everton fans all season - they haven’t won a league game on the road since August - but Lampard’s side must turn that on its head if the club are to survive.

Sunday’s win must inject a level of confidence in the squad that allows them to execute a gameplan at the King Power Stadium on Sunday, and again at Vicarage Road during the week.

Win just one of the above games, and Everton can go into consecutive home games against Brentford and Crystal Palace on 35 points, knowing that a win in each would take them over 40 before a final day trip to Arsenal.

The return of Yerry Mina will do no harm in making the Toffees harder to beat on the road. The Colombian giant was everywhere on sunday, harassing Chelsea’s Kai Havertz throughout and commanding the backline.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin could still have a huge role to play, with the striker coming through another week of training unscathed and gaining in match fitness.

And against a Foxes side who travel to Italy on Thursday to take on Roma in the second-leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final, Frank Lampard must surely fancy his chances to end the away-day curse.