Frank Lampard told his Chelsea laaities to take their substitutions like men after he ruthlessly pulled them off at half time to win Sunday’s FA Cup quarterfinal at Leicester.
Young starters Mason Mount, Billy Gilmour and Reece James were sent to the bench for goalscorer Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic and Cesar Azpilicueta.
After the 1-0 win booked them a Wembley date against Manchester United next month, Lampard said: “We haven’t played that badly since I’ve been back, we were fortunate at halftime that it was 0-0.
“We got lucky today.”
Of the three youngsters, he adds: “It is a learning experience. I could have taken more off, or other players off. I am not pulling those out on their own. They will be top players for this club and have top careers.
“But if I have to do something in games I will do it. It was one of those games where I had to do something.”