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Frank Lampard: 'I am worried about the slump but good at handling pressure'

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard - Pool via REUTERS/Michael Regan 
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard - Pool via REUTERS/Michael Regan

Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard insisted he can handle the pressure after a fifth defeat in eight Premier League games increased the scrutiny on his position.

First-half goals from Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison ensured Leicester City climbed to the top of the table and left Chelsea nine points behind in eighth place at the halfway point of their season.

Lampard knows only too well the pressure that Chelsea managers face when results turn and admitted he cannot control how long he is given to turn things around.

Asked if he could sense whether or not he is running out of time, Lampard said: “I try not to sense too much because I can’t control it. I was getting these questions after we lost two games after going 16 games unbeaten, so I know how quickly things can change. Luckily, I am good at handling pressure and I could sense that times like this would come.

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“What we can say with certainty is that we are not in the same position as the Chelsea that were winning leagues and the players are not at that level of winning Premier Leagues and players who get results every week. It is different times now because the club are not ready to compete with the transfer ban, the young players and the new signings. Now we just have to fight.”

Lampard was angry with the way Chelsea conceded the two goals and accused individuals of not doing their jobs in what he described as a “sluggish” performance.

“I’m disappointed with both goals and it was important to stay in the game early,” said Lampard. “There were clear individual errors, we didn’t deal with the set piece and people didn’t do their jobs. Things have to be said, but the players know they were beaten by the better side.

"I am worried about the slump - from the form we were in to get so quickly into the form we're now in and we've had some wins but five losses in eight isn't where we want to be. It takes character to get out of that - I'm not against the lads in the dressing room because they're disappointed. It's a young team and it's a big lesson, and you've got to get yourself out of the hole."

Despite seeing his team move to the top of the table, Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers was coy over whether or not the club can now maintain a title challenge over the second half of the season.

"It is still too early,” said Rodgers. “No-one is jumping through hoops but it shows in the first part of the season consistency has been good and performance levels have been very high.”

Goalscorer Maddison added: “You can get sidetracked, we are top at the minute because we don't think like that. We're at the top of the league because we work hard, we're not there by fluke. We'll do our business in the background, let them talk about Liverpool, Man United and Spurs, we'll just keep doing what we're doing."