Chelsea manager Frank Lampard bemoans lack of goalscorers after defeat by Manchester United

Chelsea fell to a third home defeat in five Premier League games at Stamford Bridge on Monday night, as they succumbed to a 2-0 reversal against Manchester United.

Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire scored the goals, but officiating decisions played as big a role in the game with disallowed goals, red card checks and marginal calls all seeming to go the way of the away side.

After the game, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard spoke of his disappointment at another big game slipping away from his team after having played well, with an inability to finish off chances at the heart of their issues.

It’s not the first occasion when a lack of goals has led to the blues dropping points, with the top four race now wide open after they have taken just two points from the last 12 available.

“We make as many chances as anyone in the league barring Liverpool, I know the stats, but we are not finishing them,” Lampard said after the game.

“I don’t like the way we are losing games. We’re having a big share of possession, [creating] big chances and we are not finishing.

“Tammy [Abraham] had his period early in the season [when he was scoring] and now we are not getting enough. We are not getting enough from wide areas.”

Beyond an inability to finish off chances, Lampard also bemoaned critical decisions from the game’s officials as his team had two goals ruled out and Harry Maguire escaped a potential sending-off.

“The decisions are crucial, obviously. Maguire should get a red and scores the second goal. That’s largely what VAR was brought in for second viewing and other angles.”

Lampard also alluded to VAR decisions going against his side at a key moment in the second half, with one player involved agreeing.

Cesar Azpilicueta added that he felt harshly done by in the second half, when he was adjudged to have pushed Brandon Williams before Kurt Zouma fired in a would-be equaliser for Chelsea.

“What disappoints me is the big decisions are taken by a referee on a monitor but the ref should go to the monitor to make the decisions,” the captain told Sky Sports after the match.

“In Zouma’s goal of course I have to push Williams because Fred pushes me. They have four [officials] on the pitch.

“At least go to the monitor, it takes 30 seconds to make the decision and the referee on the pitch should be the one to make the decision.”