‘I’m Frankly delighted with a top-four finish’

FRANK LAMPARD has told his Chelsea stars that a top-four finish will do this season.

But he warned them the long-term goal is to get back to a level which will see them going head-tohead with Liverpool and the Premier League’s other title contenders.

Lampard (right) has already made his first move in that respect by wrapping up his first signing as Blues boss.

Hakim Ziyech will arrive from Ajax this summer after the club’s transfer ban ended last month.

And he now wants to see how his youngsters react to the challenge for their places.

Lampard said: “Fourth for Chelsea is our aim but it shouldn’t be our aim long term.

“We want to be pushing again to close the gap to the standard which, at the moment, is Liverpool. That’s the longer-term vision. With the young players, they have made a great impact this season.

“We have had a reliance on them to a degree because we knew we couldn’t bring anyone in. “You look at Tammy Abraham at the moment and maybe Mason Mount – they can come back and hopefully show more levels in their game. “They have had tough little times recently and it’s up to them now to show they are a big part of our plans no matter who we bring in.

“But new signings are part and parcel of playing here at Chelsea.

“That will be a challenge that gets laid down in front of the young players and they just have to react positively to it.”

It was something Lampard had to get used to in his own playing days.

“I certainly felt it, and as I felt it more and more, I probably got better at accepting it. When I was young I was probably a bit fearful of it.

“As I got older I probably took on the challenges with a bit more maturity and wondered what I could do to show that I deserved to be in the team.”

Chelsea face a test against Manchester United tomorrow as they return from their winter break.

But they go into the game with their manager happy with their situation.

He said: “I always like to reflect on myself and how I work, day to day, with the players. So there was a lot of self-reflection during the break. I’ve come back very keen and excited to hit this long run-in to the season.” an

MICKEY THOMAS believes that Wales boss Ryan Giggs can help get Manchester United flyer Daniel James’ season back on track. James started the season with a bang following his £15million summer move from Swansea City scoring three goals in his first four games and terrorising Premier League defences. But in recent games the winger, 22, has struggled to impose himself – his last goal came at Southampton on August 31 – and his starting place is under threat as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side face Chelsea in a crunch Stamford Bridge clash.

But Thomas, who played for both clubs, said: “No one knows better than Ryan about the pressures of playing for United as a young winger.

“A little chat about that would do Daniel the world of good.”