Chelsea host Bournemouth hoping to draw level with third-placed Manchester City on 32 points in the Premier League table. The Blues have suffered bumps of late, losing two of their last three league matches with defeats at home to West Ham and away to Everton.
But they were victorious against Lille in the Champions League in midweek to book their spot in the next round of the European competition.
And Frank Lampard insists his side cannot afford to underestimate Bournemouth, who have lost their last five on the bounce and only won one of their last 10 top-flight games.
“Bournemouth are having a tough time but there’s no doubt that they have talent and ability in their squad to beat us if we are not at it,” he warned.
Asked if it is a good time to play the Cherries, he continued: ““Everyone said the same about West Ham, didn’t they?
“Everton were slightly different because I think everyone expected a bounce, that was clearly a dangerous game anyway because they’re a good team as well, but I won’t be going along those lines at all…”
And Lampard also insists his team must be more ruthless.
“We have had a problem with that [killing games],” the Chelsea legend admitted. “It doesn’t make for comfortable ends of games that should be comfortable ends of games.
“Aston Villa should have been comfortable. Lille should have been comfortable. West Ham in the first half we didn’t play that well but had chances.
“That is something we are obviously working on and we need to finish more of the chances we create and we need to make sure when we are in control of games we can’t have moments in our box that allow teams back in.
“Nobody enjoys that, but big parts of games and I am enjoying. So I won’t say that is the full story because some of our play in big patches this year has been really good.”
Chelsea vs Bournemouth – Premier League
Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga; Azplicueta, Rudiger, Zouma, Emerson; Kante, Jorginho; Willian, Mount, Pulisic; Abraham.
Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale; Rico, Mepham, Francis, Stacey; Fraser, Billing, Lerma, Cook, Gosling; King.
Chelsea bench: Caballero, Christensen, James, Kovacic, Pedro, Hudson-Odoi, Batshuayi.
Bournemouth bench: Boruc, Simpson, Kilkenny, Dobre, Stanislas, Surman, Solanke.
