Lampard claimed after the game that the runout had been another positive step in our preparations for the new campaign. He was also able to provide an update on the rehabilitation of several players who have yet to feature in the early days of his management, including N’Golo Kante and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

‘The signs are good,’ he said of the Frenchman’s injury comeback. ‘It was certainly the right decision for him to come home early from Japan and get the treatment he had.

‘He’s dipped into training with us over the last couple of days and I expect him to be training through this week to the point that he can be fully involved at the start of next week. There’s a lot more he needs to do physically without us but we’re hopeful.’

Hudson-Odoi was spotted watching our development squad in action at Sutton United this weekend and Lampard also gave the latest on the teenager’s situation.

‘He’s not training with us yet but the injury is coming on ahead of schedule. There will be a period for Callum where his injury is fine but then he needs to get fit to play in the team because it’s going to be very demanding with the way I want to play from front to back.

'He’s not far away and I know he’s done everything throughout the summer with our medical team to get back quickly.’