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Frank Lampard asks Chelsea squad for cool heads as Champions League race hots up

POOL/AFP via Getty Images
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Frank Lampard says Chelsea must learn to keep their cool as the race for Champions League football hots up.

The Blues can tighten their grip on fourth place and open up a five-point gap on Manchester United tonight if they beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Chelsea faltered under pressure last week, when they lost 3-2 at West Ham and missed out on the chance to go above Leicester into third place.

Lampard knows dealing with the pressure will be key during the run-in and said: “No matter if we are playing first or last, we have to block that out.

“Against West Ham, we had the pressure of Leicester dropping points and can we go third. And we did not react in a positive way and we lost the game. It is a similar pressure now every game.

“Saturday was a very professional job against Watford and it is what we are going to have to continue to do.”

N’Golo Kante is injured and Lampard may give Jorginho his first start since the season resumed.

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