By CHARLIE WYETT
RAFA BENITEZ remained guarded when asked about midfielder Frank Lampard’s future.
The Chelsea manager would only confirm what The Sun told you yesterday.
That, yes, the club had spoken with the England international, whose career at Stamford Bridge is coming to an end.
SunSport revealed Lampard has been told he can start looking for another club from January 1.
He went into Chelsea’s 8-0 mauling of Aston Villa on Sunday knowing that the club did not want him.
Yet still he produced a masterclass of professionalism to set up the Blues for a mesmerising triumph.
His reward 24 hours after we revealed the way he is being treated?
To be dumped on the bench for yesterday’s 1-0 triumph at Norwich.
Lamps had to wait until the 74th minute before being given the chance to replace John Obi Mikel, the player who had nicked his place.
Benitez said: “From my position it is very easy — it is a private conversation between Frank and the club. That’s it.
“He is a player under contract, he is a good player and I will try to bring the best from him.”
Lampard had his name sung by the Chelsea fans each time he warmed up during the first half.
The supporters, most of whom are baffled by the decision to let Lampard go, did the same when he was introduced as a substitute.
Even Norwich’s fans chanted “sign him up” as he warmed up.
Trying to defend his decision to drop Lampard, the Chelsea manager said: “To be fair, Obi has been out injured and I thought he could give us fresh legs. I had to manage it.
“We can play only so many games with the same players and we have to manage.
“As a team, we have to have different players ready.”
Lampard is set to once again be on the bench for Sunday’s trip to Everton.
Mikel has the African Nations Cup coming up and Chelsea will want to get the most out of the Nigerian before he heads to South Africa.
It is difficult to criticise Benitez as he has steadied the Chelsea ship.
The decision not to give Lamps — or left-back Ashley Cole — new contracts is more to do with the club’s policy of dealing with players over 30 than the new Blues manager.
Nevertheless, recent form under former Liverpool boss Benitez has been decent.
Chelsea picked up the three points thanks to a fine goal by Juan Mata yesterday and were worthy winners.
Benitez added: “I would not say it was very comfortable but I would say we were working very hard.
“Mata is a player who is very dangerous getting into the box and also outside the box, so we are very pleased with him.
“Norwich, on this pitch, beat Manchester United and Arsenal, so we knew it was going to be tough — but we played as a team.
“The Premier League has a lot of good players and Mata is one of the best, for sure.
“Again, it depends on the rest of the team — he can be better.”
This was certainly a more workmanlike performance compared to the one which saw Chelsea destroy Aston Villa 8-0.
Benitez added: “Against Villa, we were playing very offensive football. Against Norwich, we could manage and could control the game against a good team.
“They were quite dangerous on the counter attack but we were doing our job as a team.
“We are improving at that and we can improve some more. We were creative but can be more so.”
Norwich boss Chris Hughton said: “I was disappointed in the first half because we had been good on the ball in previous games and were a little bit loose.
“It allowed them to have three or four good counter-attacks.
“Most of them we dealt with very well but the goal came from a ball that was given away.
“They broke very well, we got bodies around the ball, so you have to admire the strike. That’s why Chelsea pay the money for the offensive players that they have. It was probably the one moment of quality.”
