Chelsea boss Frank Lampard explains the one Graham Potter decision that has cost the team

Chelsea caretaker boss Frank Lampard admits not being able to use striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been tough as the Blues continue to pay for not scoring enough goals this season.

Chelsea have scored just one goal since the 44-year-old Lampard took over, and even that was a Conor Gallagher deflected strike in the 2-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League.

That was the first time in Premier League history that Brighton had beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bride. Home and away defeats to Real Madrid in the Champions League also brought a timid exit from Europe and their continuous struggles in front of goal means they will not finish anywhere close to a Champions League spot.

Former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has scored more than 300 career goals before arriving at Chelsea has only bagged just three in 29 games for the Blues.

He was left out of the Champions League knockout squad entirely by Graham Potter as the former Chelsea boss looked to trim his squad, but Lampard has hinted that decision has cost the team and left him in a difficult place.

He told the press after the 2-0 defeat to Brentford at Stamford Bridge: “Yeah, I think so. Auba has been a tough one for me because I have complete respect for him as a player, scored 300, and whatever goals in his career. He couldn’t play the two Madrid games for me because he’s not in the squad.

“He came on against Wolves. For a No.9 particularly to be sharp and to be playing regularly is key. To see him train, when we’ve not had big minutes to train and the last few days I’ve seen him be able to train. He was in my thinking for today anyway. He certainly has the profile of a No.9 and we don’t have that elsewhere in the squad, so I did see a difference.”

Chelsea have 32 first-team players and 21 loanees returning in the summer and with broad reports that former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is close to being appointed, it is broadly expected that the 33-year-old is expected to leave the club.