Frank Lampard has already faced the question that each new Chelsea coach has been forced to answer since Mohamed Salah joined Liverpool. How was he allowed to leave Stamford Bridge?

Lampard blamed the sheer weight of competition and that is something £58million signing Christian Pulisic is coming to terms with at Stamford Bridge, but the cases of Salah and Kevin De Bruyne provide lessons from which the Chelsea head coach and the American can learn.

Having been a team-mate of both players, Lampard will be acutely aware that the Blues cannot make the same mistake for a third time by getting to the stage where 21-year-old Pulisic is not given the time or patience at Stamford Bridge that he might be afforded to flourish elsewhere.

Lampard is proving himself to be a shrewd operator, as proven by his trust in Chelsea’s Academy graduates, the decision to allow David Luiz to leave and the fact he is getting the best out of Jorginho and Willian - two players who last season became a target of Chelsea’s supporters.

Pulisic is currently his biggest problem and yet Lampard’s handling of the winger looks to be the correct approach, as long as he and the player can hold their nerve.