Chelsea would have cemented their grip on fourth place with a win on Tyneside, but they were unable to muster the cutting edge required to break down stubborn Newcastle and fell to Isaac Hayden's header with just 20 seconds left in stoppage-time, losing 1-0, AFP reports.
Chelsea's first defeat in four league matches leaves them five points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United.
After four league games without a victory, this was a much-needed success for Newcastle, but a wasted opportunity for Chelsea to open up a bigger gap in the race to qualify for the Champions League. “We know we have problems at the top of the pitch in terms of we don't get enough goals. If you don't score you are always liable for a sucker punch and they got it,” Lampard said.
“We can't work anymore in training on finishing. You need to have that killer instinct in front of goal. We need to score more goals from front-line areas if we are going to get to where we want to be,” Lampard said.
“It’s quite clear from what I am saying now that we know where we need to strengthen but we shall see.”
