Lampard warns table-topping Chelsea against getting carried away

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has urged his players not to “get caught up in the chat” after they went top of the Premier League table.

The Blues claimed a 3-1 win over Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud, Kurt Zouma and Christian Pulisic to move, temporarily at least, to the Premier League’s summit.

Alongside second-placed Tottenham, who face Arsenal on Sunday, Chelsea are on the joint-longest unbeaten run in the division after their victory at Stamford Bridge made it nine games without defeat.

They are the league’s top scorers with 25 goals and have also kept five clean sheets – than any other top-flight team.

Lampard, however, does not want his squad to get carried away despite the impressive numbers which appear to suggest they could be title challengers.

“It’s early December and there’s a long way to go. But we are progressing,” he told Sky Sports.

“Whether it’s this season we get to the heights we want, I don’t know. But we are moving in the right direction.

“When you bring in new players, have young players, you’re trying to integrate them. I’m really pleased. It’s work on the training ground and staff behind the scenes.

“At our level, at Chelsea, people will always question us. Our job is to not get caught up in the chat.

“We have to keep our feet on the ground. There’s a long, long way to go. At the minute we’re in a patch.”

Double win tonight! 3 important points + fans back! We have missed you a lot! We back on Tuesday #ktbffh pic.twitter.com/gDAgZCJ0tF

— César Azpilicueta (@CesarAzpi) December 5, 2020

Chelsea’s variety of goalscoring options is reflected by the fact 13 of their players have now found the net this season – four more than any other club.

Among them is Zouma, whose powerful header midway through the second half put Chelsea ahead on Saturday after Giroud cancelled out Patrick Bamford’s early opener.

France defender Zouma has four goals in 10 Premier League games this season, as many as he managed in his first 141 games in the competition, while Pulisic became the latest Chelsea player to find the net when he slid in to divert Timo Werner’s cross home late on.

Lampard acknowledged the importance he has placed on improving their attacking threat in different areas, and especially from dead-ball situations.

He added: “We have worked on his finishing from set-pieces, but there’s something about the group at the moment. They’re really knuckling down and Kurt is full of confidence.

“He thinks he will score. Set-pieces are huge, if you want to do anything in the Premier League you have to be good at set pieces.”