Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard both suffer defeats as Everton and Aston Villa are beaten by Southampton and Watford in the Premier League
Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard both suffered managerial defeats in the Premier League on Saturday.
Lampard’s Everton were beaten 2-0 at Southampton, while Gerrard’s Aston Villa fell at home to Watford.
Stuart Armstrong and Shane Long have scored rare Premier League goals for the Saints.
If Armstrong was thrilled to end a drought from April 4, 2021, Long came off the bench to cap that sense of relief with his first touch.
The Republic of Ireland forward’s last Premier League effort for Saints came in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on February 22, 2020.
Southampton dominated in all areas of the pitch as the mix of industry and ingenuity of James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu rocked Everton all afternoon, Kyle Walker-Peters led the left flank and Armando Broja had the misfortune to finish the day scoreless.
Armstrong and Long cemented the Saints in 10th place and left Everton floundering in 16th place.
Lampard no doubt thought he had generated a take-off with Leeds 3-0 at home on February 12 in his third game at the helm at Goodison Park.
But the former Chelsea boss need hardly say that this loss – and the oddly lying performance – leaves his side still flirting with a relegation battle.
Meanwhile, in Gerrard’s match, Emmanuel Dennis ended Watford’s three-month wait for a win as Roy Hodgson celebrated his first victory in charge.
The Hornets arrived at Villa Park amid the longest current winless streak in the Premier League, having picked up just two points in the 11 matches since November’s momentous win over Manchester United.
Hodgson replaced Claudio Ranieri during that dismal run and claimed his first win as Watford manager on Saturday afternoon as Dennis headed home with a cross from Ismaila Sarr to seal a 1-0 triumph.
Gerrard played under Hodgson with Liverpool and England and was frustrated with the well-drilled visitors, who held firm in a spirited start from Villa in which Danny Ings saw penalty appeals against Samir dismissed.
But Villa huffed and huffed without seriously threatening Ben Foster’s goal, with his counterpart Emiliano Martinez having much more to do.
The Argentina international would only be beaten in the 78th minute as Dennis headed home with a fine cross from Sarr – the first goal of the Hodgson era and a winner.
The frustration of the Villa supporters was clear, both with referee Robert Jones and with the performance of their team, after a game they had started well.
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