Frank Lampard has already told Everton players the blueprint for handling 'tough' Leeds United game
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The Toffees will go in search of their first Premier League victory of the season at Elland Road on Tuesday night, while Jesse Marsch’s side hope to make it three successive home league wins.
After the two teams emerged unscathed from last season’s battle against the drop, the sides’ fortunes have differed at the beginning of a fresh Premier League campaign – while Leeds inhabit a top-six spot, the Blues have been lingering at the foot of the table.
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Hide AdOn Tuesday night, the former relegation rivals will face off under the lights at Elland Road – but Lampard has already explained his formula for withstanding the hostile atmosphere in LS11.
"It’ll be tough,” Lampard admitted to Everton TV.
"A lot of them will be used to that, they’ve played in those things before – calm head, match Leeds for energy, for aggression, for all the basics of the game, it’s always the starting point.
“And be confident in ourselves, we are improving and sometimes you have to fight for results in this Premier League and keep going and keep going.”
On Saturday, Everton gave up a lead to draw 1-1 away at Brentford as Bees substitute Vitaly Janelt’s late tap-in cancelled Anthony Gordon’s first-half strike.
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Hide AdThe Blues boss was happy that his side took a point from the result – but insists they’ll go for everything at Elland Road.
"There were times last year when we missed draws in games like this, we didn’t get draws and we were losing games – it’s a nice step forward for us to get a point [against Brentford] today,” said Lampard, who took charge at Goodison Park in January. “We have to try and go to Leeds to try and win the game.
“Progress from here. The mentality of the team was great [against Brentford], even when under pressure you could see the spirit within the team.”
On Tuesday, Everton will be without star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is recovering from a knee injury, though French forward Neal Maupay has been drafted in to bolster the Merseyside club’s attacking options.
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Hide AdWith plenty of change to get to grips with at Finch Farm, Lampard gave his players credit for improving amid a period of adjustment.
“I understand it’s going to be a tough night, a big atmosphere at Leeds,” Lampard said.
"Every game is hard in this Premier League, we know that, so we can definitely see big signs that we’re getting better, and I think it was always going to be the case with the injuries we have, the attacking options that we have, the window that we’re bringing players in, a little bit of settling time is normal for us but I saw lots of good things today [at Brentford], we just have to carry that on to Leeds.”