The Blues boss is pleased with his team’s current situation, but knows it will be difficult to secure qualification for Europe’s top club competition.
Chelsea knew they had to take advantage of Manchester United’s knockdown points as the battle race between the Premier League’s top four heats up, according to coach Frank Lampard.
The Blues beat Norwich City 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in a nervous display that kept the team in third place, four points clear of Leicester City and Man Utd.
With the Red Devils conceding a 96-minute draw to tie 2-2 with Bournemouth on Sunday night, Lampard said his players knew the Norwich game was an opportunity to give their rivals a breather for League venues. of Champions.
“I didn’t really tell them about [capitalising] today because I think I’ve mentioned other games around us, “said Lampard. We all saw the game, but I don’t think I have to tell you that today.
“We know that when the team around you has a moment like that, then you have to capitalize. We didn’t do it on other occasions this season.”
“All I wanted to do was make sure we did our job tonight. I felt like tonight was upon us. We were up against a team that has just been relegated. With all due respect, here at home, if we do our work at home , we get three points and we did it. “
Oliver Giroud scored the only goal in the halftime shot against the Canary Islands, as the Blues collected three points before a tough game of league games.
Chelsea will face Liverpool at Anfield, with the champions looking to break the Man City league record of 100 points, before facing Wolves at home in their last competition.
Lampard knows it’s a tough series of games for his players to make sure they finish in the top four and hopes they can focus enough to get through them.
“When you face Liverpool and Wolves at home, they are just two really good opponents,” he said. We just have to focus one by one, prepare well, and show the right attitude.
“I thought we were showing it today in a way. Those two games will look completely different from what they did tonight, but instead of talking about the bottle, I want to talk about focus and talk about attitude, and then I hope we have enough to happen but it will be hard. “
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With the Blues about to qualify for next season’s Champions League, Lampard’s team is still alive in the current edition, but faces an uphill battle with a three-goal deficit to beat Bayern in the match. back from the round of 16. party next month.
With a FA Cup semi-final to be played on Sunday against Man Utd, Lampard feels the team can be satisfied with its current situation at its current stage of development.
“I think we can be happy with where we are now,” said Lampard. “I don’t want to jump the gun because we have games that will be crucial to where we really end up, but if we had said that we would be third and participating in the FA Cup and the Champions League, [I’d have been happy]”
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