Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has revealed the three reasons his team was defeated 3-1 by Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday at the Stamford Bridge.
Lampard said his players allowed Man City to take control of the match, find spaces between the lines and play with quality.
Goals from Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne gave Pep Guardiola’s side all three points against the blues. But Hudson-Odoi’s late goal was not enough to give Chelsea a point.
‘From 15 minutes onwards we allowed City to take control of the game, find spaces between the lines, and play with the quality of players they have,’ Lampard said.
‘The two goals came in quick succession, and you have to continue believing and keep going, and for the rest of the half the players found that difficult because of the levels City were playing at with and without the ball.’
Asked if his players have the mettle to bounce back, Lampard added: ‘Without a doubt we have that. Without a doubt.
‘Because we went 16 games unbeaten. A month ago everyone was asking me about where we could [finish], a new contract, now people will be saying the opposite. I can’t control that, we can’t control that.
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‘What we can control is what we do tonight, tomorrow and the next day, what we do against Morecambe, and what we do against Fulham. And I have belief in the group, so I hope this doesn’t sound like I’m criticising players.
‘I’ll be the first to look at myself today, but when I look at the squad I know that there is uplift in this team. But I know where we’re at, because I see it, and I know the work it takes to be on the level that Manchester City churned out today – because that’s been a lot of years in the making. It’s normal as a squad we take little knocks along the way, now’s a test.’
Chelsea’s next Premier League game is a London derby against Fulham on Friday.
