Lampard tells Chelsea to forget revenge talks against United

Frank Lampard has warned his Chelsea stars not to get distracted by talk of revenge against Manchester United when they clash in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final.

Lampard’s side have been beaten three times by United already this season.

Chelsea were thrashed 4-0 at Old Trafford in Lampard’s first Premier League game in charge.

They also suffered a 2-1 loss to United in the League Cup fourth round, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team extended their dominant run against the Blues with a 2-0 league victory at Stamford Bridge in February.

Lampard conceded United were largely the better team on those occasions and the Chelsea manager is focused only on getting his side set up right this time.

“Knowing the circumstances of the games, fair play we’ve lost three, that’s just a fact, and I’m not into revenge, I just want to win the game in front of us on Sunday,” Lampard told reporters on Friday.

“We played some good stuff in the Carabao Cup. We played a very changed team and played some good stuff, but you still lose.

“And in the league we had a good first half, missed opportunities and they took theirs.

“So I think you have to respect the fact that they’re a good team, we can all see that in their recent performances, but I’m not overly concerned with the games that have gone by. I just want to win the one in front of us.”

United have seen a host of VAR decisions go in their favour recently, including two key calls in their league win at Crystal Palace on Thursday.

Wilfried Zaha was denied a penalty just moments before Marcus Rashford put United ahead, with Jordan Ayew also seeing a goal ruled out for offside.

Lampard, whose side are battling United for a top four finish in the league, admitted the VAR decisions have given a helping hand to their rivals during their recent run.

“There is always a human element to VAR still, of course. Clearly they have to make a decision,” Lampard said.

“The confusing thing about some of the recent decisions and the one last night (Thursday) is that it’s a very clear and obvious decision that is wrong, that didn’t get reviewed and changed.

“And a few of those have happened. And that is strange.

“I would like to think sometimes you have to be level-headed. Some may go against you or not, but it just seems a period where Manchester United have got a few in their favour with VAR.”

Meanwhile, Lampard has rejected Solskjaer’s claims that Chelsea will have an unfair advantage in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final because they have had more time to rest.

Chelsea slipped up 3-0 at Sheffield United on Saturday but then beat Norwich at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, leaving five days until Sunday’s last-four Wembley battle.

United drew 2-2 with Southampton at Old Trafford on Monday, then won 2-0 at Crystal Palace on Thursday.

Despite United having just three days’ preparation for Sunday’s clash, Blues boss Lampard has dismissed the idea the Londoners have an extra edge.

“We’re in a period where we’re playing games all the time very regularly, and you become ‘play, recover, play again, recover’, and you work with the squad as it is,” he said.

“It’s an age-old question. A lot of managers, you probably dig out the times when I’ve mentioned it, but at the same time it isn’t about advantage or not.

“Sometimes it works in your favour to be playing regularly and ticking over, so, no, I don’t see it.”

Chelsea, also battling United for a Champions League spot, must do without France’s World Cup winner N’Golo Kante at Wembley.

The former Leicester midfielder remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, leaving Jorginho in the frame to sit at the base of midfield again.

Lampard admitted he expects a strong examination of Chelsea’s qualities this weekend, heaping praise on United’s in-form forward trio of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood.

“We know they are playing well, they’ve got a very, very potent front three -- probably the most potent front three in the country, in terms of pure numbers anyway, in terms of goals,” said Lampard.

“And obviously (Bruno) Fernandes has made a huge difference coming in January.”

Agencies