Frank Lampard tells Chelsea players to forget about title race and work way back into top four following Fulham victory

Frank Lampard has told his Chelsea side to forget about the Premier League title race and focus simply on working their way back into the top four.

The Blues’ three-game winless Premier League run came to an end at Fulham on Sunday after Mason Mount drove the ball past goalkeeper Alphonse Areola in the 78th minute to seal the points in west London.

It marked the end of a disastrous run of form for the west London outfit, who moved into seventh with the victory at Craven Cottage.

However, Lampard insisted his side can ill afford to dream of their own title challenge ahead of Chelsea’s trip to the King Power Stadium on Tuesday.

“We can’t consider too much the race as it stands, instead we have to consider ourselves – consider can we get a result against Leicester who are a competitor up there,” said Lampard.

“And then see can we get wins together that will propel us back up to where we want to be.

“But the race is relatively open, especially in comparison to recent years I suppose.

“Leicester are in the race for sure, the way they are playing and the results they’re getting and their position in the league.

“We managed to get above Leicester at the back-end of last season, but it was a big ask for us.

“They are a very good team, with very good individuals, we know that, and a really good manager in Brendan Rodgers.

“So they’re in the race, and there are others that are in the race too.”

Lampard hopes the manner of that battling triumph at Fulham can boost confidence and set his side back on a winning run, that would in turn ease pressure on his position.

But asked whether Chelsea can force their way back into the title picture, the 42-year-old insisted it is too early to tell.

“The reason I say about the title race is because I don’t want to look that far ahead,” said Lampard.

“There is no reason to say whether we will get back into it or not at the moment.

“We just need to consider the games in front of us and try to win them, to push ourselves steadily up the table.

“We are not in a bad position, we have had a bad short period of form and if we can put wins together this month then the picture will change very quickly – as it has done already this year in so many ways.”