IT’S GETTING A BIT HERRY FOR LAMPS

FRANK LAMPARD is expected to reach the top four this season as doubts grow about his future as Chelsea boss.

The Blues hierarchy want to give under-pressure Lampard time to turn the club’s fortunes around and do not want to make a panic decision mid-season.

But Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann and ex-paris Saintgermain coach Thomas Tuchel are already being touted as potential replacements, while former Juventus boss Max

Allegri has admitted he’d like to manage in England.

Chelsea may see moving towards a German or German speaker as a good option if they replace Lampard because of the make up of the dressing room, with Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Antonio Rudiger (all right) prominent squad members. That said, Champions League qualification remains the barometer likely to decide Lampard’s fate.

He has tried to play down the club’s expectations this season but, having spent £200million last summer, the hierarchy believe Chelsea should be in the top four.

There is also concern that Lampard (above) has struggled to get the best out of his new big signings. Werner, a Germany international of proven quality who arrived in a £50m deal, is a case in point.

They also invested heavily in Havertz, with Lampard firmly on board. Yet the former Bayer Leverkusen star has struggled badly since the £71m deal brought him to Stamford Bridge.

Lampard is a Chelsea legend but his decision not to have more experience in his backroom staff may now be questioned.

Many younger managers have brought in an older head and that may explain why rumours about Avram Grant returning in some capacity have surfaced.

Lampard has been brutally honest in his assessment of recent performances and also about the level of the squad, claiming they lack experience to challenge for the title. That may not go down well with a group of players who have plenty of international caps and those who joined to challenge for the title.

But it was also clear the players lacked confidence at Leicester and self-belief is a huge issue amid a run of two wins from their last eight league games. Lampard is still bullish about his chances of turning things around and his first year in the job must be seen as an overwhelming success, given he got Chelsea into the top four despite the transfer ban and the sale of Eden Hazard.

This is the first really bad run of his managerial reign and Chelsea always knew it would be a gamble to bring him back.

But last year’s achievements point to the fact Chelsea realise Lampard is a very good manager in the making. If they act now, they may regret it in future.