Journalist David Ornstein believes the next few days are crucial for Everton, Frank Lampard and his future.

The Lowdown: Testing times for Lampard

Lampard will likely be sweating over his job after a shocking home defeat in midweek which made it one win in their last 11 games across all competitions.

However, no developments have yet emerged over any action being taken, which could suggest he's being afforded more time to turn things around - something that Farhad Moshiri hasn't done very often during his tenure, having gone through a lot of managers in recent years.

Everton were loudly booed off at Goodison Park last night after a 4-1 horror show against Brighton & Hove Albion, and that has led to several media outlets questioning his future.

The Latest: Ornstein expects defining days

Following the game, Ornstein was speaking on Sky Sports about how Lampard is now set to embark on some 'critical days' as Moshiri debates the manager's future.

He said: "There seemed to be hope when they got that draw at Manchester City just a few days away, but now they face a defining few days. They go to Manchester United on Friday in the FA Cup. I suspect Frank Lampard will get that match - I certainly think he should.

"But beyond that, there's a Premier League game against Southampton [at] bottom of the table and then West Ham too in the same region, so these are critical days for Frank Lampard, of course, in his managerial career."

The Verdict: Lampard should be sacked

It's not as if Lampard has been left out to dry by the Everton board after being handed eight new players over the summer including several tried-and-tested Premier League stars such as James Tarkowski, Conor Coady and Idrissa Gueye.

Therefore, Lampard doesn't really have a leg to stand on when it comes to why he should stay in the job as results have been poor, performances haven't been good enough and it appears as though the fans have turned on them after their latest defeat.

Moshiri has to make a potentially season-defining decision in the coming days as to whether or not he sacks Lampard, as the wrong choice could see the Toffees fall into the Championship for the first time in their history with a brand new stadium on the way.

Perhaps the FA Cup weekend will afford Moshiri more time to assess his options and see what managers could replace Lampard before pulling the trigger and frantically looking for someone new, as he appears to be safe for the moment.