Frank Lampard admitted “missing big chances” in critical moments cost Everton in their 2-0 Premier League defeat to Leicester City on Saturday evening.  

The contest at Goodison Park started in a breathless manner with both sides pressing high and fashioning good opportunities to take the lead.  

However, it was the away side who broke the deadlock when Youri Tielemans profited just before half-time from Everton’s failure to deal with a cross into their box, hitting a fine half-volley into the top corner of Jordan Pickford’s net.  

With a little over five minutes remaining, a swift counter-attack was finished by Harvey Barnes to double Leicester’s lead and seal all three points.  

However, Lampard felt the game could have gone in a different direction if his side were able to take their chances during key moments in the game. 

Early in the first period, Dominic Calvert-Lewin picked up a loose ball and played a clever through pass for Alex Iwobi to latch onto, but the Nigerian international could only drive his resulting effort agonisingly just beyond the post.  

Calvert-Lewin had a big chance of his own early into the second half when he ran onto an excellent ball from Iwobi, but his driven shot was well saved by Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward.   

And it was these opportunities that Lampard felt could have changed the course of the game.

"They were good opposition, but we missed some big chances, possibly, two of the better chances of the game, in critical moments early in the game and then early in the second half," said the Blues boss.

“Possession was 50/50ish, we tried to get after them a little bit when we had moments of good pressure. There were moments where we were a little off it in that sense, but they are a good footballing team, and we didn’t want them to give the sense that they could control us and push us back.   

“We competed in a lot of ways but in the end, we come up against a good team with good individuals in good form who showed their quality at the top end of the pitch, and we couldn’t find that.”