Jordan Pickford the hero once again as Everton beat Leicester to move out of bottom three

• Everton beat Leicester City 2-1 at King Power and are up into 16th place.
• Sweet volley from Mykolenko and Holgate header from a corner trump Daka's strike.
• More splendid work between the sticks from Jordan Pickford gives Frank Lampard rare away success.

Frank Lampard’s rescue mission with Everton is gathering momentum and a first away victory in over eight months could prove a defining moment in their troubled season.

Lampard’s experiences away from Goodison Park have been excruciating since his appointment in January, with seven successive defeats on the road, but this performance included all the qualities required in a relegation scrap.

Jordan Pickford, their goalkeeper, was outstanding with a number of fine saves while Lampard’s outfield players displayed fight and hunger to follow up last weekend’s win over Chelsea with three vital points.

After Burnley’s defeat by Aston Villa on Saturday, and Leeds’s implosion against Arsenal, Everton hoisted themselves out of the bottom three into 16th place, with a game in hand on their rivals.

The 3,301 Everton fans were noisy throughout, driving their team on with regular renditions of Spirit of the Blues, and the importance of Everton’s first away win since August 28 cannot be overestimated.

Lampard said: “It’s a long time coming and the away form has been a problem for us and held us back. Travelling is never easy in the Premier League so it was important that we changed the story on it.

“I spoke to the players in midweek and was banging the drum that we needed to change the away results to stay in this league. We deserved this and I’m pleased that Jordan is getting the recognition.

“It's important to enjoy these moments but there's a lot of work to do. I’m not shouting from the rooftops because we’re still in a relegation battle.”

Leicester were booed off at the end of each half and their season is in grave danger of fizzling out.

After their exit from the Europa Conference League in Rome on Thursday, Leicester now have little to play for but pride and, despite an early equaliser, could not find a way past Pickford in the second half.

Without the influential James Maddison, who was absent with a hamstring injury, Leicester lacked creativity and a cutting edge, and are now five league games without a win. 

Brendan Rodgers is targeting a major summer revamp of his squad, with up to six new signings, but needs to rediscover a spark over the four remaining matches.

Rodgers said: “It was a hugely disappointing result and performance, we’ve had an open and honest conversation with the players after the game.

“I normally don’t say much to the players after games but this time we needed honest feedback to go forward.

“We’ve switched off again [from a set-piece for the second goal] and that is on me, I need to keep looking at it until the summer when we can do something about it.

“We’ve gone from being a team happy to stay in the league to one disappointed not to win a trophy. If we were to finish 14th this season, despite all the injuries we’ve had, that would be very disappointing.”

Everton’s performances away from Goodison have been a major factor behind their struggles, yet they were ahead here after six minutes.

Alex Iwobi floated over a wonderfully inviting cross from the right and Vitaliy Mykolenko had time to volley the ball past Kasper Schmeichel from just outside the area.

It was the Ukrainian full-back’s first Everton goal and a moment of perfect technique which was rather out of kilter with the standard of football that followed.

Everton could have increased their lead five minutes later but Schmeichel managed to prevent Abdoulaye Doucoure’s shot from squirming over the goalline, albeit unconvincingly.

Thirty-seconds later Leicester were level, with Patson Daka capitalising on a mix-up between Yerry Mina and Seamus Coleman to beat Pickford from inside the area.

It was an abysmal goal to concede, which could easily have damaged Everton morale, but they regained the lead on the half-hour mark as Leicester’s vulnerability from set-pieces was punished yet again.

Richarlison’s header from Demarai Gray’s corner was saved by Schmeichel but Mason Holgate nodded in the loose ball.

Leicester fans were growing restless and Rodgers had to make changes, introducing Harvey Barnes at the break and then Jamie Vardy with 24 minutes left.

Pickford was proving inspired, producing outstanding saves to deny Nampalys Mendy and Barnes (twice), as Leicester dominated possession, but with all the cutting edge of a plastic spatula.

There was no dramatic finish and Everton were untroubled as they secured a win which could prove pivotal in their scramble to safety.