Everton boss Frank Lampard has sought to ease his personal rivalry with former club West Ham before today's clash.
Despite his father, Frank Lampard senior, being a West Ham legend, making 670 appearances for the club (a figure second only to Billy Bonds' 799) between 1967-85, the Blues boss' own time at the Boleyn Ground ended in acrimonious circumstances in 2001 and there have been several flashpoints since. However, the 44-year-old insists that he'll get no added satisfaction from beating his former club and he is only interested in trying to get Everton back to winning ways.
Asked how much of an extra edge his past association with the Irons would give the fixture, Lampard said: Nothing. Some of my mates are West Ham fans, my family are all West Ham fans, I played for them so long ago now.
I've got massive respect for David Moyes as a manager who is in a tough moment and has his own conditions and his own things happening. I'll do nothing but try and win the game and shake David's hand before and after, no matter what happens in the game.
It (West Ham's struggles this season) shows the sway of what the Premier League can do to you. I'm not being a David Moyes cheerleader here but I think the job he's done at West Ham over the last two seasons and what they've achieved has been one of the best jobs you can do in football immense.
Now it's a tougher period where he's trying to change the squad and maybe take it forward. They've got a lot of talent in that squad so as much as it's encouraging it's also worrying because they're a good team who can put together wins."
