Tony Cascarino believes Frank Lampard is under pressure for his side’s failure to be stationed in the Top 4 following series of disappointments on the field in the current Premier League season.

The Blues lost 3-1 to Arsenal on Saturday and missed the chance to climb into the top four.

Lacazette opened the scores from the spot, Granit Xhaka doubled the lead with a stunning freekick before Bukayo Saka notched the third from a constricted angle. Tammy Abraham later grabbed a consolation for Lampard’s side before Jorginho missed a penalty.

Lampard has spent more than £200m on the acquisition of world-class talents but results have not gone his way, with some pundits blaming the manager for failing to put together his squad which has resulted in below pal performances among others.

During his interview after the Arsenal defeat, the manager hit out his players’ for missing the mark in games and cautioned on what lies ahead of them.

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‘I am concerned what is at the bottom of it but I am not sure it is definitely complacency. The fact that actually matters is that if you come and play slow, on and off the ball, you have a big problem trying to get a result. The message was clear before the game, we had to attack it in the right way and we didn’t,’ he said.

Comparing Arteta, who ended his run of seven games without a win to Frank Lampard, Cascarino said on talkSPORTS that the Chelsea manager is under pressure for failing to do bring out the best in his squad after a hefty transfer expenditure.

“Frank has got a real problem at the football club,” the former Blues striker said, speaking on the Weekend Sports Breakfast.

“I’m not convinced by the people that say Arteta is seriously under pressure; I think Frank is under every bit as much, and even MORE, pressure.

“Think of the history of the club, think of the owner and how he’s sacked people quite confidently, think that he’s spent £220m, think that he’s brought in a young lad from Germany [Kai Havertz] who is not even in the team and struggled, think of Timo Werner where they spent a lot investing and he’s struggled…

“You are under pressure as a Chelsea manager to challenge.

“Because when you are given £220m I guarantee you that conversation before the start of the season would have been, ‘what do you need to challenge Liverpool and Man City?’.

“That conversation would have happened.”

The Blues will host in-form Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Monday.