New Everton winger Dwight McNeil believes manager Frank Lampard can rebuild his confidence ahead of the new season after admitting his low tally for Burnley last season had begun to affect his game.
The 22-year-old was considered one of Burnley’s more important players ahead of last season as they embarked on a sixth-straight season in the top-flight under Sean Dyche.
However, poor performances all round by the Clarets saw Dyche sacked in April, and despite a slight revival under interim boss Mike Jackson, they were eventually relegated to the Championship on the final day of the season.
A mass exodus has taken place at Turf Moor, one that includes McNeil and his £20m switch to Everton. But after a season which saw him register just one assist and no goals in the Premier League all season, the starlet has admitted that his confidence is low – and is backing Lampard to repair it in a more attacking role.
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“The Premier League is always hard but coming to Everton is a new chapter for me to build my confidence back up again. Last season my stats for my position were really low and coming here it is something to improve on.
“I think the manager [Lampard] can help me impact games more this season. He played the game at such a high level and you can see what he achieved throughout his career. I’ve spoken to him about what he wants from me. His compliments were nice to hear but he also spoke about areas where I need to improve.”
McNeil impressed Toffees fans with a brace on his home debut in a friendly against Dynamo Kiev on Friday evening, and will be hoping to replicate the same form in the Premier League.