LONDON • Frank Lampard admitted Chelsea are struggling with nerves as they chase a place in the Champions League next season after Olivier Giroud scored the only goal in a 1-0 Premier League win over already relegated Norwich at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Victory opens up a four-point edge for third-placed Chelsea (63) over Leicester and Manchester United, who both play their game in hand today.
But Lampard knows there is still plenty of work to do in Chelsea's final two league games of the season, with a trip to champions Liverpool to come, before Wolves visit Stamford Bridge.
"I want more but that can wait. Where we are at as a team and our position in the table, three points is everything," he said.
"We need to move the ball quicker, not take too many touches and allow the opposition to be compact. If we want to really move up, longer term, then it can be better.
"But I don't want to be too critical after three points at this stage. It's not easy, there is a nervy feeling there for understandable reasons."
The Chelsea boss was furious with his side's lack of fight in surrendering to a 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United last Saturday that dealt their chances of a top-four finish a blow.
He made five changes from the battering at Bramall Lane with Giroud among those restored to the starting line-up.
Chelsea have already bolstered their attack significantly for next season with the signing of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.
But Giroud more than justified the decision to also extend his contract by a year during the league's shutdown by becoming the team's most potent striker since the restart.
The Frenchman saw a number of chances come and go in the first half as an attempted lob over Tim Krul fell gently into the Dutch goalkeeper's arms before he sliced well over the bar when unmarked inside the area.
Just as Norwich looked set to hold out until the break, he shrugged off Timm Klose to connect with Christian Pulisic's cross for his fourth goal in seven league games.
"I missed some I don't miss usually," said Giroud.
"I lost a bit of confidence but my desire to score was bigger, so I just tried to stay focused."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
