Lampard tells Chelsea to embrace Champions League pressure
LONDON: Frank Lampard told Chelsea to embrace the pressure of the race for a place in the Champions League next season after his side edged two points back in front of Manchester United and into the top four with a comfortable 3-0 win over Watford on Saturday.
After a bitterly disappointing 32 defeat at struggling West Ham in midweek, in-form United’s 5-2 thrashing of Bournemouth earlier in the day saw Chelsea slip outside the top four before kick-off.
But there was never any doubt the Blues would move back into fourth as goals from Olivier Giroud, Willian and Ross Barkley capped a dominant display and left the Hornets still precariously placed just one point outside the relegation zone.
“We had the chance to go third on Wednesday. Today there was pressure on us just to get back into fourth. That’s the pressure we have to get used to,” said Lampard. “It was a comfortable evening for us.”
The pressure is certainly on Lampard to deliver Champions
League football next season after the club have already invested nearly £100 million ($125 million) in signing Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.
Lampard reacted to conceding three times to West Ham by making four changes with Marcos Alonso and Antonio Rudiger paying the price for their part in the Hammers’ late winner.
Giroud was one of those recalled to the starting line-up and the 33-year-old showed why Lampard extended his contract for another year during the coronavirus shutdown.