Chelsea manager Frank Lampard reacts, as play resumes behind closed doors following the COVID-19 outbreak, Jul 1, 2020.
LONDON: Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said his team must embrace the pressure in their remaining Premier League matches as they look to secure a top-four finish and qualify for next season’s Champions League.
First-half goals from Olivier Giroud and Willian and a late strike from Ross Barkley earned Lampard’s fourth-placed team a comfortable 3-0 victory over struggling Watford on Saturday (Jul 4).
It was the perfect response to Chelsea’s 3-2 defeat at London rivals West Ham United in their previous match.
“Every game is going to be pressure now. West Ham was pressure because we knew we could go third. It’s a different kind of pressure. But it’s still the same – it’s how you focus on the game and the job in hand,” Lampard told reporters.
“We can’t get too caught up in what everyone else does at the moment and we did that well tonight. There was no nonsense. It was good, we started bright and carried on and got the small details right at both ends of the pitch.”
Manchester United had briefly climbed to fourth place following a 5-2 win over Bournemouth earlier in the day. Lampard said that his team would be pushed until the end.
“They’re a very good team … The fact we’re two points ahead of them, we have to be happy,” said Lampard, whose side has 57 points from 33 games.
“We know they’re going to be contesting right until the end because of the form they’re in.
“So respect to United and others around us. At the same time, can we focus on ourselves and try and keep picking up results? That’s what will be the main importance to us.”
