Sky Sports pundit relieved as Frank Lampard avoids Dominic Calvert-Lewin disaster for Everton
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Frank Lampard can ease Dominic Calvert-Lewin back into the Everton team because Neal Maupay is performing, according to Kevin Campbell.
The Toffees boss avoided throwing the long-injured star striker back into the team for the West Ham game (18 September) and was vindicated when the new signing scored the winner instead.
After starting the season with only the goal-shy Salomon Rondon as a striker, Sky Sports pundit Campbell is delighted to see that the manager now has a new “luxury” of a serviceable centre-forward that will prevent him from needing to rush back his number nine too quickly.
He said exclusively to Goodison News: “If I’m honest with you I was pleased that Frank Lampard took that line because rushing Dominic Calvert-Lewin back is a recipe for disaster, because he’s broken down quite a few times.
“So to get two weeks training in him, and I’m sure there’ll be a practice game in the background somewhere, just to have a look at him and make sure he’s alright, give him some match practice, I’m sure that would have been done.
“The fact of the matter is he doesn’t need to put him straight in because Neal Maupay scored the winner, he’s produced.
“So the fact is he could have [Calvert-Lewin] on the bench and he could probably bring him on with half an hour, 25 minutes to go against Southampton and he can start finding his first-team legs again.
“That’s the way to do it. Neal Maupay hasn’t let anybody down. He’s been good. The team have been good.
“So, great. We want Dominic Calvert-Lewin back fit and firing, but the good thing is that it’s been a while where you don’t have to really push him to get back in the side.
“His team have been doing alright, so go and have a sit down and then I can ease you in. That’s a luxury that Frank Lampard’s never had.”
Calvert-Lewin’s year has been filled with appalling luck as several false dawns last year saw him suffer set backs, but it was all hands to the pump as relegation had to be avoided at virtually all costs.
The England international ultimately did prove crucial in that, with his diving header against Crystal Palace confirming Premier League safety on 19 May, but before that he struggled for form.
But Everton look like they are finding their rhythm at the moment and that should take the pressure off the striker as he returns from injury this time, both physically and mentally, to be the answer right away, and if that gives him a route back to his best it can only be a good thing for player and club.