Frank Lampard said his legendary status “wouldn’t last five minutes” if things started to unravel at Chelsea.
Sadly, it looks like we’re a long way from that point now, as Chelsea fans are rapidly losing faith in one of their all-time great players.
It didn’t help that Manchester City put on an exquisite performance full of movement, pace and passing, which was a throwback to Pep Guardiola’s back-to-back title-winning seasons.
The gap between the two sides only says three points in terms of the Premier League table (although City have two games in hand), but this was seen as a world apart on the field. Suddenly, Lampard looked like the rookie coach battling a resurgent Guardiola.
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When City’s first goal came in, Lampard raised his hands in the air in a mixture of frustration and anger that would hardly help a group of Chelsea players who were obviously fighting for confidence.
But there was Guardiola, watching ominously from the touchline as Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan cut Chelsea with shameful ease.
So far City is in crisis, unable to put a full bench, appointing only eight substitutes instead of nine and without great players like Kyle Walker, Gabriel Jesus and Ederson, due to a Covid outbreak in the club.
City are now four points off the top, have a game in hand against Liverpool and Manchester United, but are really in this title race.
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Meanwhile, Chelsea look like a club adrift after four losses in their last six games, which is the kind of way that has seen previous coaches sacked at Stamford Bridge.
But Roman Abramovich must have known what he was doing when he brought Lampard, an emotional date he would have to learn on the job and improve. Lampard has surely shown promise enough to buy himself more time.
Lampard has tried to downplay expectations even after his £ 200 million summer spending spree, but the reality is that this is Chelsea, which last season finished in the top four after a transfer ban was a huge achievement. , but it certainly wasn’t a free pass for this season. .
Chelsea’s performance in the first half was so bad – a defensive disaster and a lack of cohesion and organization – that a full Stamford Bridge would surely have booed the team at halftime.
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City’s first goal was only a matter of time and came in the 18th minute. Oleksandr Zinchenko started the move, Foden’s clever firing found Ilkay Gundogan, who turned on the edge of the area before burying a low shot in the bottom corner.
Just 2 minutes and 27 seconds later, it was two. Zinchenko and De Bruyne combined on the left, Foden was tackled by Thiago Silva but the ball broke De Bruyne on the left.
De Bruyne then made a delicious low crossover, Foden proved he was on the same wavelength of genius as his clever finish came out of the top drawer, heading the ball home with a beautiful move.
City’s third goal was due as much to his brilliance as Chelsea’s naive defense as well as his own free kick. De Bruyne headed Hakim Ziyech’s free kick cleared, Sterling ran away from his own half and only N’Golo Kante chased after him.
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Sterling was stopped by Mendy, went back inside and his shot hit the inside of the post before bouncing off to De Bruyne, who drilled in the third.
You felt like this could end with an embarrassing score. But at least Chelsea showed some heart and fight in the second half. That should not be forgotten.
City relaxed and Chelsea finally regained some pride in the 92nd minute when Callum Hudson-Odoi received late consolation by scoring on a cross from Kai Havertz. But in truth, it was a small pity for Lampard.
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