Frank Lampard has been missing from the Chelsea team for the last few weeks after suffering an injury during Christmas. However, the team has been able to tide over the absence of the 35-year-old due to squad strength and it has helped them win all the matches in 2014. They will be facing the biggest test of the season when they take on Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. Ahead of the match, there have been suggestions that it may come a little too soon for Lampard. Jose Mourinho said that the midfielder was facing a month out of action when he was initially injured.

In the pre-match press conference ahead of the United encounter, Mourinho said that there is a possibility that Lampard may feature in this match after recovering sufficiently in recent weeks. However, he is unlikely to start the match after having spent a good portion of the month on the sidelines. His fitness levels may not be up to the standard required for the game of such magnitude. A victory is essential for Chelsea since they need to keep with Arsenal and Manchester city at the top of the table.

Both their rivals managed victories from their matches on Saturday and it is a move to Chelsea to close the gap. Mourinho’s men have so far done well against the top teams this campaign.

“Lampard is training all week with the team so normally yes. Ivanovic not one training session. He will today but I don’t think he can play. Matic is not starting the game. I feel that I hold respect to my other players. We are doing well – we are playing well. I don’t think it’s the right message that a new player comes in. I’m not playing Matic from the beginning,” said Mourinho about the injury status at Chelsea.

Frank Lampard has said that Jose Mourinho should be given a couple of months to settle down at his new club.

Mourinho has joined Chelsea this summer after leaving Real Madrid, but, he hasn’t made a great start to his second tenure at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea’s performances have been a bit up and down so far in the season and Mourinho has been criticized as well for some of his decisions.

Talking to the reporters in a press conference yesterday, Lampard said, “Jose needs some time, probably, a couple of months to make the players understand what kind of game he wants them to play. We all know how good he is and what he had done for Chelsea when he was here last time around. He is a hugely respected manager all around the world.”

“Yes, we need to make improvements in some areas and if we do that, we will certainly be hard to beat.”

Chelsea has started its Champions League campaign poorly this season as they suffered 1-2 defeat against a relatively weaker FC Basel side a couple of weeks back. In their second game, the Blues will be facing the Romanian club Steaua Bucuresti. That game will take place at Arena Nationala, Bucharest on Tuesday and one more defeat there will adversely affect Chelsea’s chances of making it to the knockout rounds.

When asked about that, Lampard said, “We desperately need a victory in that game. They are a fantastic unit and they are not going to make it easy for us. But, the good thing for us is that we had faced them last season. So, we have got a bit of idea about their strengths and weaknesses and that is definitely going to help us.”