‘It was a pretty easy decision’

Frank Lampard insisted it was an "easy decision" to make his surprise return to Chelsea as caretaker manager until the end of the season on Thursday, just over two years after he was sacked by the Premier League club.

Lampard, Chelsea's record goalscorer, previously managed the Blues from July 2019 until January 2021, when he was replaced by Thomas Tuchel.

The 44-year-old's unexpected move back to Stamford Bridge came after Tuchel's successor Graham Potter was dismissed on Sunday with the club in the bottom half of the Premier League.

"We are delighted to welcome Frank back to Stamford Bridge," Chelsea co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said in a statement. "Frank is a Premier League Hall of Famer and a legend at this club.

"As we continue our thorough and exhaustive process for a permanent head coach, we want to provide the club and our fans with a clear and stable plan for the remainder of the season."

Former England midfielder Lampard had been out of a job since January when he was sacked by relegation-threatened Everton after less than a year in charge.

Lampard claimed he did not have to swallow his pride to return to Chelsea despite his brutal exit during Roman Abramovich's reign as owner. "It's a pretty easy decision for me. This is my club. I have a lot of emotions and feelings," Lampard told a press conference minutes after his appointment was announced.