Paul Scholes explains potential problem facing Frank Lampard’s Chelsea in games against top-six rivals

Chelsea’s only league defeats have come against perceived rivals

Chelsea suffered a third Premier League defeat of the season at the weekend, losing 2-1 to Manchester City despite another performance which impressed, at least in part, against a rival side.

Each of the blues’ losses this term have come against top-six rivals: last year’s top two, City and Liverpool, and a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Manchester United on the opening weekend of the campaign.

Good consistency against the lesser lights of the top flight mean Frank Lampard‘s team sit in fourth place, with a seven-point buffer down to fifth.

Considering the loss of Eden Hazard, a transfer ban and Lampard’s own relative inexperience in the dugout, their start has been largely applauded.

But Paul Scholes says he feels there’s a missing element in their game which has, so far, prevented Chelsea from winning the big games.

“They keep going to these big clubs, playing really well and not winning games,” Scholes told the Premier League.

“That will be frustrating for [Lampard] I think, because he knows he’s got quality in his team but he’s missing something.

“He’s definitely missing something. He went to Manchester United, everyone said Chelsea were the best team, played really well, got beat 4-0.”

While scorelines won’t always tell the full story of a game, Chelsea have at times struggled to put a fully convincing performance in for the full 90 minutes in games.

Fikayo Tomori has won a first-team spot this season (REUTERS)

And Scholes has pointed to the back line as to where some of those troubles might be starting.

“I’d be a little bit worried about his two centre-halves, the way he wants to play are they good enough on the ball?

“I think defensively they’re okay but they look a bit nervous on the ball to me, which can create nerves throughout the team.”

Fikayo Tomori and Kurt Zouma played against City, while Andreas Christensen featured earlier in the season. Antonio Rudiger is generally seen as the first-choice centre-back at the club, but has been sidelined by injury for most of the campaign.