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Frank Lampard fighting to save Chelsea job as Roman Abramovich considers his options

 Frank Lampard’s position as Chelsea manager is under fresh scrutiny following defeat at Leicester - PA
Frank Lampard’s position as Chelsea manager is under fresh scrutiny following defeat at Leicester - PA

Frank Lampard is fighting to hold on to his Chelsea job as owner Roman Abramovich considers how long he will have to try to turn around the slump in form that has seen his team beaten five times in eight Premier League games.

Chelsea’s latest defeat came at the hands of Leicester City, which left Lampard’s team nine points behind the Foxes and off in the pace in the race for the top four.

The Blues have three big home games coming up against Luton Town in the FA Cup and Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley in the Premier League, which offer the opportunity to revive the season.

Lampard has not sought any reassurances over his future, but remains confident he can find a solution to Chelsea’s current predicament and knows he must instigate a quick turnaround in fortunes and close the gap on the top four.

Now 18 months into the three-year contract he was given when he was appointed in the summer of 2019, Lampard overachieved in his first season in charge, during which the Blues did not sign any players, by guiding the club to Champions League qualification and the final of the FA Cup.

Abramovich spent £220million on new players last summer in preparation for this campaign and, although Chelsea comfortably qualified for the last-16 of the Champions League and remain in the FA Cup, their current League position is not deemed to be good enough.

As well as judging whether to allow Lampard to continue, Abramovich will have to consider who would immediately replace the 42-year-old if he made a change during the season.

Julian Nagelsmann of RB Leipzig looks on during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund  - DeFodi Images
Julian Nagelsmann of RB Leipzig looks on during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund - DeFodi Images

It is believed that Julian Nagelsmann would be among Chelsea’s top targets if Lampard went, but it appears unlikely that the German would leave RB Leipzig before the summer.

That would leave Abramovich with the task of either trying to find an interim coach or hiring an out-of-work coach such as former Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel or Max Allegri.

Chelsea have been warned off Tuchel in the past, following his run-ins with his previous employers, but it is not clear whether that would be held against the 47-year-old now.

Lampard’s departure would split opinion among Chelsea fans, particularly those who still idolise him from the former midfielder’s playing days when he became the club’s all-time record goalscorer.

The desire of Lampard to redouble his efforts on the training pitch and prompt an improvement was echoed by 36-year-old defender Thiago Silva.

Silva on Wednesday posted a message on Instagram that read: “Nobody said it was going to be easy. A lot of effort, determination, courage and dedication is required to win. That’s why we will not give up. Everything happens for a reason. We need to give our blood and sweat. I am convinced we will meet our objectives! Come on @chelseafc.”

Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and midfielder Mason Mount both admitted that the players, as well as Lampard, must take responsibility for their recent performances.

Mendy said: “What we are missing at the moment is consistency, being good for the whole match. We often have a bad patch, concede a goal and it makes it too hard to recover. We need to find more consistency in matches to be able to get past this level of team.

“It’s difficult to explain because we were in good form and then we got into difficulty. It happened very quickly. We need to concentrate on the return phase now and getting near the levels we were at.

“It’s up to us to rectify the current situation and above all show more. We have to stay together and stay as positive as possible during this delicate moment.”

Mount added: “We are disappointed we didn’t win the (Leicester) game. We know we are better than that. We have to have a look at ourselves, look at how we played, see where we can improve and come back stronger next game.

“We are on a learning curve. Every day we need to get better, on the training ground and when we play. It takes time. We are definitely going to get there. We are getting to know each other more and more, and hopefully by the end of this season we will be in a good place.”

Fikayo Tomori has joined AC Milan on loan until the end of the season. The deal includes an option for the Italians to buy the Chelsea defender for £25m, plus a further £5m in bonuses.