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Frank Lampard’s difficult start to life with the Toffees continued after his side were smashed 5-0 away from home last night at the hands of Antonio Conte’s Tottenham.

Going in at half-time, the Blues were already 3-0 down. The former Chelsea boss tried to turn things around with a substitution ready for the second half, before being humbled 41 second after the restart, with Sergio Reguilon sweeping home Dejan Kulusevski’s cross.

Harry Kane finalised the embarrassing result for the Toffees, who remain just one point above the relegation zone.

The Transfer Tavern have now used statistical experts SofaScore to analyse who Everton’s three worst performers were on the day (to have played 45 minutes), with Lampard perhaps looking at these three players for possible changes ahead of a difficult clash against Wolves this weekend…

Michael Keane (5.8)

Keane was ranked as the third worst Toffees player with a 5.8 overall rating from SofaScore.

The defender scored an own goal before being shipped off at half-time, as Lampard tried desperately to provide more solidity at the back.

The former Burnley man failed to register a single one in any of the key four defensive statistics – clearances, blocks, tackles and interceptions – while he was also dribbled past and lost the ball once apiece and won just a single duel.

Seamus Coleman (5.8)

Admittedly tied with Keane in terms of rating (5.8), Coleman played the full 90 minutes compared to the centre-back’s one half – so the Irishman ranks second worst for the day.

The Everton captain also failed to make a single tackle or interception during the game.

More damagingly though, he lost the ball 16 times and failed to make a single key pass or accurate cross, offering just as little going forward as both he and Keane did defensively.

Jordan Pickford (4.9)

With a poor 4.9 rating, Pickford was ranked as the Toffees’ worst performer against Tottenham.

This comes as little to no surprise, having conceded five goals within the first 55 minutes.

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The goalkeeper lost the ball on 11 occasions, with a 54% pass accuracy affecting Everton’s play right from the very back.

He failed to make a single punch or high claim throughout the match, and even made an error which led to a goal – topping off a performance which he would have been disappointed with, regardless of the score-line.

In other news: Everton: Lampard gives injury update ahead of Wolves

Scorecard

	David Hussey contributed 38 for Victoria and then picked up two wickets to help secure the title © Getty Images

Victoria remained the Twenty20 kings with a third consecutive title as Western Australia were hit by a Blizzard and a Cyclone at the WACA. Aiden Blizzard’s blitz of 47 from 20 balls helped the Bushrangers reach 203 and despite an exciting 86 from Shaun Marsh, the Warriors fell 32 short in their chase.The major problem for Western Australia, apart from the hefty target, was the fast, accurate bowling from Dirk Nannes. The nickname on his back read “Cyclone” and he lived up to the moniker, sweeping up four wickets and pushing into the high 140kph region as the Warriors spiralled to defeat.He struck two early blows to derail the chase and returned at the end for two more, including Marsh, who had combined with Theo Doropoulos to give the Warriors a sniff after they had crashed to 5 for 59. Marsh belted four sixes in his 55-ball innings but was running out of time when he cracked a Nannes full toss to Cameron White at midwicket.He had already lost his key partner, Doropoulos, who was on 43 when he chipped back to the bowler David Hussey. Victoria’s spinners Hussey and Bryce McGain troubled the middle order but it was Nannes’ early strikes that set the scene.In what Perth fans will hope is not an omen for the WACA Test, which starts on Wednesday, the home side’s reply began with a contentious catch first ball. Luke Ronchi tried to evade a shortish Nannes delivery that flicked his gloves and might have fallen just short of the wicketkeeper Adam Crosthwaite, who claimed the take.It was a disappointing start to a challenging chase after Victoria worked their way to 8 for 203. They started brilliantly, reaching 0 for 65 from five overs, an effort that was largely thanks to Blizzard, who took 28 off one Danny McLauchlan over. Four sixes featured in those six balls, and one was flat-batted wide of midwicket so lethally that it ended up in the practice nets adjacent to the ground.Twice in their innings Victoria lost 3 for 5 but around those mini-collapses they were able to build a healthy score. Hussey added 38 and finished the tournament as the second leading run scorer behind only Marsh. One of the few Victorians who did not contribute was Rob Quiney, who fell to one of the most remarkable catches in recent memory.Quiney pulled Ben Edmondson to deep midwicket and David Bandy, hard up on the rope and with the sun in his eyes, jumped, stretched his right-hand above his head and pulled in the grab with both feet off the ground, baseball-style. He then had the challenge of landing back in the field of play and managed the feat with the grace of an Olympic gymnast, finishing with a pivot and swivel to acknowledge the crowd’s cheers.But his team-mates could not match his perfect ten and the title slipped away from Western Australia. Victoria, who have lost only one match in the three seasons of the domestic Twenty20 tournament, will head to the Champions Twenty20 league in October as arguably the world’s most in-form side in the shortest format.

Scorecard

Brad Hodge was a central figure in Victoria’s chase with a vital 84 © Getty Images

Brad Hodge justified his bold day-three declaration by setting up another chasing win for Victoria as they moved to the top of the Pura Cup table. Hodge closed the Bushrangers’ innings 117 runs behind South Australia on Sunday and his gamble paid off as he and Michael Klinger were the key contributors in running down the target of 322 for a three-wicket win.Klinger was unbeaten on 87 after steering the final stages of the chase and the home side ended the game with three overs to spare. While Klinger applied the finishing touches, Hodge kept the Bushrangers in sight of the result with 84 from 124 balls, including 11 fours and a six.The dismissal of Nick Jewell, who crawled to 36 off 111 deliveries, allowed Hodge and David Hussey, the first-innings century-makers, to accelerate and they produced a crucial stand of 79 in 71 balls. Hussey fell to a reflex take by Tom Plant at short leg and Hodge left with his side at 4 for 225, edging to first slip off Cullen Bailey.Bailey, the legspinner, was the most successful of South Australia’s bowlers with 4 for 103, but he was unable to stop Klinger. The Redbacks, who kept their two points, reached 5 for 204 before their first-session declaration, with Ben Cameron unbeaten on 51.

Johan Botha’s action has been reported after his debut Test © Getty Images

Johan Botha, the South African offspinner, has been reported for having a suspect action following his Test debut at Sydney.Chris Broad, the ICC match referee, said: “Concerns have been raised by the match officials over the general legality of his bowling action and, in particular, his ‘doosra’ and quicker deliveries when viewed with the naked eye. We are therefore requesting the ICC to commission a biomechanical report into the bowler’s action in accordance with the process introduced last year.”Botha will be allowed to bowl for South Africa in this month’s triangular one-day series against Australia and Sri Lanka and until the biomechanical report has been completed. He took 1 for 26 and 1 for 77 at the SCG as Australia won by eight wickets.The report will be handled under the ICC’s standard bowling review process. Botha will now undergo independent analysis of his action by a member of the ICC’s panel of human movement specialists.Gerald Majola, chief executive officer of Cricket South Africa, expressed his disappointment at the decision to report Botha. “He has bowled at first class domestic professional level for two seasons without once being reported for an unfair action by our leading umpires, match referees and players. We hope that Johan’s promising career will continue to progress at a time when everybody in world cricket is trying to encourage the art of spin bowling in South Africa and elsewhere.”Meanwhile a South Africa team spokesman said Jacques Kallis would remain with the squad in Australia for the one-day series after checks on his elbow injury, while Nicky Boje, the left-arm spinner, and AB de Villiers, the opening batsman, will return home.The South African team was also fined by Broad for a slow over-rate on the final day of the Sydney Test, with the players docked five percent of their match fees and Graeme Smith 10 percent.

Shoaib’s hamstring gave way early in the VB Series© Getty Images

Imran Khan has admitted that he talked Shoaib Akhtar out of making himself available for the Indian tour. Shoaib pulled out with a hamstring injury, and Imran said that he had been consulted before the decision was taken.Speaking to Times News Network, Imran said, “Shoaib was willing to make himself available for the selection but I advised him against doing so. He was confused whether to tour or not. He was in two minds when he came to me for advice. He didn’t know how to respond to the hamstring niggle. I told him if it’s a hamstring rupture then he shouldn’t tour at all. As it turned out, Shoaib had a big rupture.”Shoaib performed exceptionally in the first Test against Australia at Perth, and also bowled with real zeal in the first innings of the second Test before losing his zip and fitness. Thereafter, he was a convenient whipping-boy for Pakistan’s poor displays on tour – but Imran suggested that others were just as much to blame. “Shoaib is slightly difficult to handle and the PCB likes to pass the buck,” he said. “They all need soul-searching.”Imran edded: “It’s sad that in Pakistan everyone, even President Musharraf, is unwilling to accept his mistakes. I say that because it is President Musharraf who formed the PCB which in turn appointed Inzamam-ul-Haq as captain. None of them realise that our poor performance is due to them also.”According to Imran, there was little point in Shoaib rushing back into the fray. “Realistically, I don’t see him playing the Test series, but if he stretches himself too far then maybe he can play the third Test,” he said. “But for me, he shouldn’t play before the third or the fourth one-dayer. He should first play a first-class game and then think of international cricket. Shoaib also realises that if he plays and fails then he’ll again be made a scapegoat.”Shoaib himself ruled out any half-baked comeback bid. “I don’t want to rush back,” he said, perhaps aware of how poorly he had performed under the weight of expectation against India last year. “I want to be away from media attention. It’s a question of my career and I don’t want to compromise on it. But yes, I don’t rule myself out from coming back for the one-day series.”

Brett Lee will undergo surgery to his left ankle at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Sydney on Thursday afternoon in an attempt to relieve him from pain in the back of his ankle. He will also use the enforced break to correct an ongoing posterior impingement problem.Errol Alcott, Australia’s physiotherapist, explained Lee had been troubled by the condition for some time. "Due to the increased workload during the first 3 Test match against Zimbabwe in Perth, Brett felt pain in his ankle that he has had on and off during the past season," he said. "With the injury to his stomach muscle we were presented with a window of opportunity to also correct this problem while Brett takes a break from competition."Brett will be reviewed again towards the end of November following an intensive rehabilitation program."

Bangladesh’s frontline bowlers may not match Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie or Glenn McGrath in speed and experience, but New Zealand opener Mark Richardson found he was more nervous in the first Test today against Bangladesh, than he ever was in Australia.He finished the day on his highest Test score of 124 not out, with New Zealand 306/5, but said the first hour, in which New Zealand plummeted to 51/4, was very hard.”It doesn’t matter that they were not the Australians, they all hit the seam, they had very good wrists and they all swung the ball.”They bowled pretty well and their tails were up,” he said.Richardson was battling the ‘flu all day and he felt the innings wasn’t one of his better ones.Last summer’s maiden Test century in the final Test against Pakistan and today’s century completed a turnaround of fortunes for Richardson here.”I was desperate to get a total. I went about my work okay in Australia, I just didn’t get a century,” he said.Meanwhile, Craig McMillan said he had been conscious of his dismissal for 98 in the Pakistan Test last year, when he got into the 90s.”I was very determined to push through. From a personal point of view I just love playing here because it is one of only two pure cricket grounds in New Zealand, the other is the Basin Reserve.”It was a sign of the confidence in the batsmen in the team now that despite getting into a tricky position they were able to extricate themselves.”There wasn’t any panic,” he said.The frustrations with the weather and the limited chances for cricket had been a concern.”But I’m really happy today. I played my natural game.”We are in a very satisfying position and we are very happy with the day’s play. It was a good day’s cricket,” he said.The accident he had on Tuesday had also caused him to reflect and realise how lucky he was to be able to play cricket, and that had made the innings all the more satisfying, he said.

Chris Silverwood – batting blitz puts Somerset under pressure Photo © Paul McGregor

Yorkshire have every chance of improving on their third position in theFirst Division of the championship as they took a 218 runs first inningslead over Somerset and then had their guests at 12-2 in their second inningsat Scarborough.
Both of Somerset’s opening batsmen, Jamie Cox and Mark Lathwell, are already out and Yorkshire are on course to win within three days. The home county’s total was built around a 130 runs partnership in 49 overs between Darren Lehmann and David Byas.The Australian showed why he is the country’s leading run-scorer as he bit a six and 10 fours in 77 runs made from 152 deliveries. Lehmann struck Ian Blackwell for a six and two fours in over and was caught at mid-off trying to hit a third.Byas attained his first half-century of the season before he was l.b.w to Steffan Jones for 84 with 10 fours from 249 deliveries. Richard Blakey’s painstaking innings of 24 runs in 145 minutes could have prevented Yorkshire from taking the full bonus points.Chris Silverwood saved the situation with an onslaught on the bowling or Rose and Trego in which he hammered three sixes and five fours in making 48 in three less balls. He helped Yorkshire to top 400. The apparently tired West Countrymen were still 206 runs from forcing their hosts to bat again when the day ended.

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After battling the threat of relegation and eventually fighting back to finish in 16th in the Premier League last season, this summer transfer window was always going to be a big one for Southampton.

Despite the end of the season being barely a month in the rear-view mirror, the Saints announced their first signing with Mali winger Moussa Djenepo joining from Standard Liege.

After confirmation of his move, the 20-year-old took to

/ByqNM86ISdP/” data-lasso->Instagram to share a snap of him wearing his new Southampton kit and expressed his delight to be joining the Premier League side.

Djenepo scored 11 times across all competitions last season to help his former team to a very respectable third in the Belgian top-flight and is a part of the Mali squad that will take part in the Africa Cup of Nations starting next week.

Having signed the winger, Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said via BBC Sport: “He is an exciting player, with tremendous pace and good finishing. We have been impressed with how he has adapted to football in Europe and the impact he has had in many games, and we had an interest in him as recently as January, so I am pleased we are able to bring him into the club.”

Sreesanth deceived Imran Nazir with a slower one © AFP

Musical chairs at the top
“We have many openers in our team,” Shoaib Malik said at the toss. “Today we’ll go with Salman Butt and Imran Nazir.” With that Malik confirmed Pakistan were giving Butt his fourth opening partner in five one-dayers; Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi and Malik being the first three. It was Nazir’s first opportunity of the series and he shelved his reckless approach and scored a subdued 20 off 40 balls. The end result was an opening stand of 65: Pakistan’s highest of the series.Maiden maiden-over
If Praveen Kumar had any nerves when Mahendra Singh Dhoni gave him the new ball on his ODI debut, he did a spectacular job of concealing them. His first two balls were left alone by Butt; the third beat the bat with a hint of swing away from the left-hander; the fourth should have been put away but Rohit Sharma’s sharp fielding at midwicket prevented any runs; the fifth was defended back to the bowler; and Butt left the final ball alone to allow Kumar to complete a maiden maiden-over.Done in by legspin
Sreesanth had bowled a poor opening spell, conceding 20 off his first three overs. Dhoni changed his end for his second spell and Sreesanth looked a different bowler. He picked up Butt and Yasir Hameed in consecutive overs to top up his confidence levels and then slipped in a clever legcutter to Nazir, who wound up to give it an almighty thump. He played the shot too early and although he made firm contact, the ball went straight to Sreesanth who took a sharp return catch. It was his 50th wicket in ODIs.Generous with extras
Perhaps it was because three leading bowlers – Zaheer Khan, RP Singh and Harbhajan Singh – were missing, or due to the lack of intensity in a dead rubber, but India’s bowlers gave away 18 runs in wides after conceding only two in Gwalior. Yuvraj and Sreesanth were the most lax, bowling four wides each, and one of Yuvraj’s leg-side indiscretions beat Dhoni and went to the boundary.An exercise in futility … and marketing
The drinks trolley for this series is shaped like an oversized soft-drink can and you can’t help but feel for the people lugging it on to the field at every drinks break. They wheel it to the middle and open it up to reveal the refreshments inside only to be ignored by both sets of players. The Pakistan batsmen had their own drinks brought to them by the reserves while a golf cart sped out, carrying the Indians’ energy drinks and supplements. The drinks trolley was a futile exercise … unless you’re an marketing person.An endangered species
The introduction of the free-hit has made it a criminal offence to bowl a front foot no-ball. Bowlers are extra careful about measuring their run-ups and the no-ball has become so rare – there were none in Gwalior – that, when it occurs, you sit up and wait in anticipation for the free-hit that follows. Kumar overstepped the crease for the first time today in the 48th over. The umpire called no-ball and then twirled his hand above his head signalling the free-hit. Fawad Alam took his time, eyeing the vacant spots in the outfield. The crowd waited eagerly as Kumar ran in and bowled a full ball. Alam connected well and sent the ball racing towards long-off for a double. It was a bit of an anti-climax.First time lucky, second time …
Robin Uthappa was promoted up the order because he had hardly got an opportunity to play a substantial innings in the first four games. He scored one run off seven balls before edging his eighth, off Rao Iftikhar Anjum, straight to Misbah-ul-Haq at first slip. It was a simple chance but the ball went right in, and out, of Misbah’s hands. Two balls later Uthappa gave Misbah a chance to redeem himself, edging another regulation catch in his directionp. This time he was headed to the dressing room while all was forgiven between Anjum and Misbah. A few overs later, Misbah watched an edge from Tendulkar fly past him at gully, before taking the next one that flew to him the very next ball.Hey Mr DJ
The spectators at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium were kept entertained by the Hindi dance numbers that played over the PA system. They got to their feet between every over to move to the beats of popular Bollywood music. The procession of Hindi songs was suddenly interrupted by a remixed version of Pink Floyd’s . The crowd fell relatively silent but perked up once again after normal service quickly resumed.