ZOUM Lamps: Youngest Blues side ever

FRANK LAMPARD says the age of his young Chelsea side was no excuse for throwing away the lead against Sheffield United.

The Blues boss had selected the youngest Chelsea starting line-up in Premier League history, with an average age of just 24 years and 158 days.

But after Tammy Abraham’s first-half double had Chelsea cruising at the break, the hosts were pegged back by Callum Robinson and a late own-goal from Kurt Zouma.

“I couldn’t care less that we had our youngest team in Premier League history, I don’t think it relates at all,” Lampard argued. “It’s not defence, it’s conceding as a team.

“There was a lack of concentration and mistakes for the goals, but you defend as a team as much as you attack as a team. We conceded because we switched off in a game we are comfortably seeing out at 2-0 up.

“I was clear at half-time with the players, this could be 3-0, OK that’s nice, or it has the potential for us to have 2-2 on our hands.

“We only have ourselves to look at as a group.”

Chelsea were handed a soft lead in the 19th minute.

There seemed little danger when Abraham headed Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross goalwards. But with Christian Pulisic hopefully stretching to reach the ball, Blades keeper Dean Henderson fumbled the ball straight back to Abraham, who hooked it into the net.

But the visitors were looking dangerous too and maybe should have been level soon after.

John Lundstram picked out a fine forward run by Chris Basham, who