Ahead of the Premier League resumption, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said his side is preparing well for the behind closed door games, insisting the experience in empty stadiums “will be different for everyone”.
Frank Lampard’s first campaign at the helm at Stamford Bridge hasn’t been smooth – the Blues have lost nine times in the top flight – but with nine matches left to play the club legend has his side in an all-important Champions League place.
It may change the pace of the game
“We’ll have to try to make sure we prepare as well as we can in terms of being ready for the change in atmosphere. We’ve had discussions about that with the players. It will be different for everyone. It may change the pace of the game, it might change the slight tone of it.
“We’ve seen that slightly in Germany and we need to be ready to adapt to that,” Lampard was quoted on Chelsea’s official website.
Every game now have something on it
The Blues will host Manchester City at Stamford Bridge four days after their trip to Villa Park, with Lampard well aware of the challenge facing his side in both the fixtures as they look to secure a top-four finish and book their Champions league spot.
However, Chelsea will not have it easy in clinching a top-four spot. Manchester United are just three points behind and have a better goal difference while Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are all within striking distance.
“With so much time off, and so much time to sit and scrutinise the table and your positions, for everyone, there is going to be so much spotlight on this. Every game now in the nine league games is going to have something on it for different reasons. The first two games are good examples of that,” the Chelsea boss said.
“Villa are fighting for their lives, City has huge quality, we know that. It’s a difficult start and we’ll need to be ready,” he added.
Liverpool are at the top of the standings and was 25 points ahead of the second-placed Manchester City. Liverpool is just two wins away from lifting the title.
Chelsea are placed at fourth spot with 48 points in the Premier League standings, three-point clear of fifth-placed Manchester United. The league will resume on June 17 with Aston Villa taking on Sheffield United.
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