Lampard hungry for dynasty

FRANK LAMPARD warned Chelsea’s title rivals that Jose Mourinho’s champions-elect are ready to dominate the Premiership for years to come.

Chelsea will clinch their first title for 50 years if they beat Fulham and Bolton in their next two games.

Indeed, they could be champions if they win this weekend and Arsenal then lose to Tottenham next Monday.

Either way, it now seems only a matter of time before Mourinho’s side, with an 11-point lead and just five games left, end Arsenal and Manchester United’s recent domination of the top flight.

However, Lampard made it clear that Chelsea will not be finished there, with Roman Abramovich’s millions likely to fund another major raid on the transfer market this summer.

The England midfielder declared: “The championship is almost there. The hard thing now is to back it up.

“It’s well documented that the second title is harder to win than the first, but this is extra special for us because it’s such a long period of time since we won it last.

“We’ll start all over again next season. Arsenal have been a dominant force, the team for the past few years, but they haven’t won back-to-back titles.

“We have to make sure that we’re not just the best team this year, but the best for future seasons.

“We’re all hungry, have a good squad and are not going to settle for one title.

“We want to win everything we’re involved in and we’ll play with the same attitude next year.”

United are the only team to have successfully defended the Premiership title, having won back-to-back trophies in 1992 and 1993, as well as 1996 and 1997, followed by three in a row in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Arsenal, however, have failed three times to keep hold of the trophy, having lost out by a point in 1999, five points in 2003 and with the deficit now even larger despite their goalless draw at Stamford Bridge.

That result at least managed to postpone Chelsea’s coronation, even if the final destination of the trophy now seems certain.

“It doesn’t matter that we didn’t beat Arsenal. What matters is who wins the league, it’s as simple as that,” stressed Lampard.

“We’re 11 points clear and that’s a big difference.

“We’re one step closer and it was a good result in the end.”

Lampard certainly led by example in central midfield against Arsenal and, with 15 goals for his club this season, may yet be rewarded with the Football Writers’ Association player of the year award.

Meanwhile rumours of Steven Gerrard’s switch to Stamford Bridge gain momentum.

However, Rafael Benitez insists Gerrard was not dropped from the Liverpool team when he spent 68 minutes on the substitutes’ bench during the 2-1 win at Portsmouth.

England ace Gerrard’s latest sit-out came just four days after missing a penalty and as rumours persist that he is set for summer move to Chelsea.

And boss Benitez, despite explaining that the midfield dynamo was only rested at Fratton Park after a recent injury, will not guarantee Gerrard a starting place in tomorrow’s clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

“Maybe he will play,” said the manager.

“But first I need to talk to the other players and see if there are any other problems after Portsmouth.

“We have a lot of games now in a short time and we need to use all the squad. It is important to have Steve fit for the next games. He wants to play, he wants to score goals and to do his best. He is waiting for his opportunity the next time.”

Gerrard, who had missed the second leg of Liverpool’s triumphant quarter-final against Juventus in Turin a week ago, citing a groin strain, vowed to “take no penalties for a while” after missing horribly from the spot in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham at Anfield.

But Benitez shrugged off suggestions the blunder was anything to do with Gerrard not appearing against Pompey until the last 22 minutes - when he seemed to cruise through the game.

A report on Wednesday morning claimed the player pulled out of a twin-property deal in London valued at around over £4m last Friday.

It is one of football’s worst-kept secrets that champions-elect Chelsea, whom Liverpool face in the European semi-finals next week, are desperate to land Gerrard in a £30m-plus raid this summer after his U-turn decision on joining them last year.

Benitez, however, took an entirely different tack, saying: “The idea is that if you have important players like Steve and have to play two or three games in one week you cannot play with the same players all the time. It is 100% impossible.”