What Frank Lampard told Everton at half-time which earned Leicester City draw

Frank Lampard lifted the lid on his half-time team talk which helped Everton earn a precious point against Leicester City.

The Toffees moved four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone with a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park last night.

Everton were ponderous in the opening 45 minutes and went into the interval behind courtesy of Harvey Barnes’ fifth-minute goal.

The home side improved after the break, however, and snatched a stoppage-time equaliser through Richarlison.

What’s been said

Lampard admitted that he felt the Blues were allowing the Foxes’ midfield to dictate too much - Nampalys Mendy in particular - and a tactical tweak was required.

And the Everton boss reckons that his side deserved to get something out of the game.

Lampard said: “The tweak was more of a tactical one in midfield. Mendy was getting too much of the ball and we couldn’t get close enough to him.

“We had to be more compact as a whole and choose the right times with what players would lose midfield to go, close that space and tighten up - at the same time the ball was going to be played through us.

“We did that much better. There were two things [why Everton were below their best]. The tactical issue and the fact we were off just a little bit.

“It’s not been the case much here at Goodison. We were just off the pace, it can happen.

“You can do all the prep in the work, we’ve had 10 days (since beating Manchester United).

“Sometimes that can be a positive going in as much as you think it would be.

“I think that affected the first half for us.”

‘Something we want to change’

Lampard oversaw his first draw in his 14th game as Everton manager.

Earning a point rather than falling to defeat is something he wants to achieve more frequently.

He said: “A late goal that gets you a draw feels a real positive.

“That is something we want to change. As the chances were coming and going towards the end of the game – Seamus (Coleman) has a good chance, Richy (Richarlison) had a good chance – you worry.

“Something we haven’t been able to do well enough in my time here is draw games when we are either are not playing as well as we should do.

“I think that was the case in the first half but not the second – and other games recently against West Ham and Burnley where are performances were good and we got nothing.”