admin“I want to play, simple as that,” Lampard told BBC Sport. “I’m as fit as I’ve ever been. I’ve been in a good run of form and now I’ve not been playing.
“I haven’t spoken to Villas-Boas so I don’t know why, simple as that.”
City had taken the lead early on through Mario Balotelli before Raul Meireles levelled before half-time.
Lampard was introduced by Villas-Boas on 73 minutes and scored Chelsea’s 82nd-minute winner from the penalty spot.
He had been left out of Chelsea’s first team for the second successive match, but had started in five of the Blues’ six games before that.
He added: “I want to play. If I didn’t, there wouldn’t be any point turning up, so maybe there’s a bit of frustration because of that.
“I just want to play and I like to play well. I’m always at my best when I’m playing regularly. I know I’ve got a lot to give.
“I just want to be on the pitch and let the football do the talking.”
Lampard’s winner at City ensured that Chelsea moved up to third place and are seven points behind Roberto Mancini’s Premier League leaders.
Chelsea trail second-placed Manchester United by five points and are ahead of Tottenham on goal difference, although Harry Redknapp’s team have a game in hand.
Meanwhile Ashley Cole was accused of sparking a tunnel skirmish on the highly charged night at Stamford Bridge
City were seething that referee Mark Clattenburg denied them what had seemed a clear first-half penalty which could have put them 2-0 up.
But, after a third important win in 10 days, Chelsea’s players huddled in triumph on the pitch at the final whistle before bundling down the tunnel, shouting and embracing the coaching staff.
It was an X-rated and aggressive “Have That!” comment, which Roberto Mancini thought Cole had hurled towards the visitors’ dressing room, provoking an angry response from City’s players.
“I don’t know if Cole said something,” said Mancini. “I didn’t understand it but if the Chelsea players are saying we are a top team, for us that’s really important. They were lively because they beat a top team.”
Lampard blamed the tunnel clash on the emotion of a pulsating game.
“Sometimes you get overheated,” he said. “Big games, big players who want to win things on both sides, and there was a bit of frustration. I’ve been involved in that before but there’s general respect from both teams to each other.”
Mario Balotelli struck inside two minutes for City but Raul Meireles, preferred to Lampard at the start, levelled before the break.—BBC/Daily Mail.
Online Reporter