• Lampard not given explanation over absence from starting 11
• Midfielder came off bench to score winner against Man City
Frank Lampard has admitted he has yet to be offered an explanation from André Villas-Boas over his absence from Chelsea’s starting line-up but insisted he is keen to stay at Stamford Bridge – at least until the end of his current contract.
Lampard was left out of Villas-Boas’s starting 11 against Manchester City, the second successive match he has been named among the substitutes, but had the final say with a 82nd-minute winner from the penalty spot. The 33-year-old has started 16 of Chelsea’s 24 games this season and while he appreciates his age is a factor, he said that does not ease the frustration.
“I want to play, simple as that,” he said. “I’m 33 – I understand that – but I want to keep playing regularly because I know I’ve got a lot to give. I’m as fit as I’ve ever been. I’ve been in a good run of form and now I’ve not been playing.
“I haven’t spoken [to Villas-Boas] so I don’t know [why], simple as that.”
Lampard scored Chelsea’s winner 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute. He had missed his last two penalties, but still overruled Juan Mata to take the spot-kick after Daniel Sturridge’s cross was handled by Joleon Lescott.
“I missed a penalty a few weeks ago and the next one is always a bit tough,” the midfielder said. “It’s easy to stand aside and let someone else take it but I wanted to do right and win for the team.
“I want to keeping doing well and playing regularly for this club. I know I’ve got a lot to give. I’ve got 18 months left here and I’ll be here for that long and keep trying my hardest.”
The 2-1 win revived Chelsea’s title hopes, moving them up to third in the Premier League, seven points behind the leaders City and five behind second-placed Manchester United.
“We needed a win to stay in the race because 10 points was a huge gap and luckily we’ve closed that,” Lampard added. “Man City are the top team in the league this year and quite rightly so with the kind of form they’ve shown this season.
“They were down to 10 men [after Gaël Clichy's 58th-minute sending off] so fair play to them, but I had a feeling that it was going to be our night and it turned out that way.”
Frank LampardChelseaguardian.co.uk
