Lampard steered Chelsea to a top four finish in the Premier League last season despite the Blues’ transfer ban and losing star player Eden Hazard to Spanish giants Real Madrid. Chelsea ended the 2019/2020 season trophyless.
Chelsea have been busy in the transfer market this summer, having already secured the services of top players like Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell.
It appears Chelsea’s business in the transfer market is not complete yet as Kai Havertz is said to be close to joining them, and the club are still mulling over a potential replacement for first-choice keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Burley believes the West Londoners’ latest acquisitions put pressure on Lampard to deliver as the club's demanding board will accept no excuses if they fail to close the gap between them and Liverpool.
The former Blues midfielder told ESPN on Lampard: “He’ll have to [live up to the expectations] or he’ll be out.
“He’s adored by the Chelsea fans because of his hugely successful time there but Abramovich is not running a sentimental ship, and he’s backed him.
“Frank Lampard now knows he’s going to have to prove his worth. I think we saw enough last year in terms of the way his team played that there is a lot of hope there.
“I think there are concerns about the way his team defended at times and that’s something that he’s going to have to sort out, but the thing is, Abramovich and the ownership will expect him to be in the title shake-up.
“The very least they will expect, if they are out of the title running during the season, is that – and I’ve talked about this a lot.
“The gap that Chelsea and Man United had to Liverpool was over 30 points – the very least that he can show if he’s out of the title race next season is that that gap has been narrowed considerably.
“He cannot afford to finish in fourth spot next year, 33 points or 32 points off the top boys, that’s not going to cut it. So as long as there’s progress there, I think he’ll get some time, and that’s where the pressure’s going to be.”
