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Frank Lampard advised Chelsea to embrace the strain of the race for a spot within the Champions League subsequent season after his facet edged two factors again in entrance of Manchester United and into the highest 4 with a comfortable 3-0 win over Watford on Saturday. After a bitterly disappointing 3-2 defeat at struggling West Ham in midweek, in-form United’s 5-2 thrashing of Bournemouth earlier within the day noticed Chelsea slip exterior the highest 4 earlier than kick-off. But there was by no means any doubt the Blues would transfer again into fourth as objectives from Olivier Giroud, Willian and Ross Barkley capped a dominant show and left the Hornets nonetheless precariously positioned only one level exterior the relegation zone.
“We had the chance to go third on Wednesday. Today there was pressure on us just to get back into fourth. That’s the pressure we have to get used to,” stated Lampard. “It was a comfortable evening for us.”
The strain is definitely on Lampard to ship Champions League soccer subsequent season after the membership have already invested almost 100 million kilos ($125 million) in signing Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.
Lampard reacted to conceding 3 times to West Ham by making 4 adjustments with Marcos Alonso and Antonio Rudiger paying the value for his or her half within the Hammers’ late winner.
Giroud was a type of recalled to the beginning line-up and the 33-year-old confirmed why Lampard prolonged his contract for an additional yr throughout the coronavirus shutdown.
The French worldwide was denied by the fast reflexes of Ben Foster together with his first large probability, however was to not be stopped when he span onto Barkley’s move earlier than discovering the underside nook on 28 minutes.
Watford supervisor Nigel Pearson recalled Nathaniel Chalobah to the beginning line-up and Andre Gray to the matchday squad after each have been dropped for a 3-1 residence defeat by Southampton final weekend after flouting UK authorities pointers by attending a celebration for Gray’s 29th birthday.
However, there was no enchancment within the efficiency as Watford have taken only one level from 4 video games for the reason that restart.
“Of course we are concerned with the situation we are in, we are not naive, but the most important thing is to recognise what we are and make sure our performances reflect that collective spirit,” stated Pearson. “What we can’t do is reproduce games like last week.”
The guests gave themselves a mountain to climb when Etienne Capoue unnecessarily barged into Christian Pulisic to concede a penalty.
Willian is into the ultimate month of his contract at Stamford Bridge after seven years with the membership. But if the Brazilian is to depart with Arsenal and Tottenham excited about maintaining him in London, his Chelsea profession goes out on a excessive as he netted his fourth aim in as many Premier League video games for the reason that resumption.
Watford appeared content material simply to maintain the rating down after half-time with aim distinction a consideration within the battle to beat the drop.
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Pearson’s males host bottom-of-the-table Norwich on Tuesday in an enormous match if they’re to construct up a cushion over Bournemouth and Aston Villa, with Arsenal and Manchester City to return within the ultimate week of the season.
Chelsea needed to settle for only one extra aim within the second half as Barkley fired residence Cesar Azpilicueta’s cut-back in stoppage time.
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