Frank Lampard on the brink as Thomas Tuchel is linked with Chelsea job 

After a fifth defeat in eight games the pressure is building on Frank Lampard and he is reportedly on the verge of getting sacked as manager of Chelsea.

Blues legend Lampard, who was appointed in July 2019, watched his team lose 2-0 at Leicester City on Wednesday night. The result saw the Foxes go top of the Premier League and left Chelsea in eighth place.

Chelsea spent more than £200m on transfers in the summer and a strong start to the season saw them top the table in December. However, a poor run of form since has seen them lose league games against Everton, Wolves, Arsenal, Manchester City and now Leicester.

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It was a lacklustre performance at the King Power Stadium - one which has left Lampard “worried” about his team’s form, the BBC reports.

After the loss, the former England midfielder said: “It’s not where we want to be. I am worried. From the form we were in to get so quickly into the form we’re in now, even with the Fulham win [on Saturday] and some other wins in there, we should be better than losing five in eight.

“It’s a young team. They won’t be feeling nice. I’m not against the lads in the dressing room. They will have learned a lesson.”

‘Out of my control’

Lampard is now the bookies’ favourite to be the next Premier League manager to lose their job, The Sack Race reports. One bookmaker has Lampard as the 7/2 favourite to leave next, while he’s as short as 10/3 with others, according to Oddschecker.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the Leicester defeat, Lampard admitted his future is “out of my control”. He said: “It’s not my decision, that’s something that will always be there. You always understand some things are beyond your control. Things you can control are going again, lifting the players and working hard. That, I can’t answer.

“It intensified for me a while ago - expectations at this club, right or wrong, are always high. I know we’re in a different position if you look at our squad today and the age in our squad, and look at the composition of our squad, it’s a new squad. I keep talking about transition, but when you perform like that it's normal that people ask questions.”

Football365’s Sarah Winterburn believes it’s “now when, not if” Lampard is fired. She said: “Despite some who continue to protest that Frank Lampard should and will be given time by a changed Chelsea, the worst-kept secret in football is that Lampard will be sacked sooner rather than later.”

Should Lampard get the axe, the new man in charge would become the 13th different manager since Roman Abramovich became owner in June 2003.

German speaker next or Shevchenko?

The Athletic reports that if Lampard departs Stamford Bridge, then Chelsea’s next manager is “likely to speak German”. Former Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel is heavily linked with the Chelsea job today, as are Julian Nagelsmann, Ralph Hasenhuttl and Ralf Rangnick.

It’s believed a German speaker will be able to tap into the influence of the Bundesliga and bring out the best out in big-money summer signings Kai Havertz and Timo Werner.

Meanwhile, former Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko is reportedly “outright favourite” to replace Lampard, The Sun says. Shevchenko is currently head coach of the Ukrainian national team.

Other names being linked with the Chelsea job include ex-Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri and France head coach Didier Deschamps.

Betting odds: next permanent Chelsea manager

Latest odds according to Paddy Power

• Thomas Tuchel evens
• Andriy Shevchenko 10/3
• Max Allegri 5/1
• Julian Nagelsmann 15/2
• Brendan Rodgers 15/2
• Ralf Rangnick 12/1
• Ralph Hasenhüttl 12/1