Chelsea manager Frank Lampard feeling the 'heat' but says rebuild 'takes time' after Man City loss

ByJames Walker-Roberts

Updated 03/01/2021 at 21:14 GMT

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard admits he is feeling the "heat" but has appeared to suggest he needs more time following the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. Chelsea have now lost four of their last six games and reports after the match at Stamford Bridge say the club have started looking at potential replacements.

Frank Lampard says what he is trying to achieve at Chelsea takes time” and may continue to cause pain” as pressure on his position increased with defeat to Manchester City.

Chelsea suffered their fourth defeat in their last six matches as they were beaten 3-1 at home by City on Sunday.

Reports after the match suggested Chelsea have started to look at potential replacements and Lampard admitted he is feeling the “heat” - but also appeared to suggest he needed more time.

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“I was real after we beat Leeds (on December 5) saying that we’re not title contenders, and I’m real now saying it takes time,” said Lampard.

“Any build or rebuild takes pain: pain behind the scenes and pain on the pitch occasionally.

“This is a difficult period and I understand the reasons why. Today the first half showed me the reasons why and we have to keep fighting and I’m the first one who has to keep fighting.

“I’ll always feel heat. I felt heat when we were on our good run, because I know that round the corner can be a negative.

• City outclass Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
• Lampard's position under 'serious threat'

Lampard: ‘Chelsea have to take some pain to get where we want’

“Maybe (N’Golo) Kante you can take out, but when you look around the team, there’s a lot of youth, a lot of new players that are trying to come in and settle.”

Asked about his future at the club, the former Chelsea midfielder said: “I’m not going to speak for people above me or the board, it’s not for me to do that. It is what it is on those terms, I can only speak about it as I see it, as a manager and a club.

“When we had 16 games unbeaten I still saw those flaws in our game. When we’ve lost four games I still see those flaws now. And I can’t think about what people say beyond, because I can’t be distracted.

“I’m relaxed about peaks and troughs of form. I expected periods of difficulties this year, and I’ve spoken about that a lot already.

“I said it when we beat Leeds and people were championing us as title contenders.

“Whether it puts pressure on me or not, it doesn’t matter. A month ago everyone was asking me whether I was going to sign a new contract, and now they will be saying different things.”

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