Frank Lampard will take charge of Everton's FA Cup tie at Manchester United but his long-term future continues to be shrouded in doubt.
Everton's under-pressure manager, whose side have lost eight of their last 11 fixtures in all competitions, reported to work at Finch Farm yesterday morning, just after 9am, to sift through the wreckage of Tuesday's 4-1 skewering by Brighton.
The 44-year-old is under no illusion of how parlous his position is and the fear is that another heavy defeat at Old Trafford will bring the curtain down on a reign that only began on January 31 last year - owner Farhad Moshiri will make the ultimate decision on whether Lampard stays or goes.