Chelsea's Frank Lampard Explains 'Careful' Approach to N'Golo Kante Fitness

Frank Lampard has said it is his "duty" to be "careful" with N'Golo Kante because the Frenchman is not fully fit.

The France international returned from a month out with an ankle issue in the Blues' 2-1 loss to Liverpool and played a starring role:

However, he was absent again for Chelsea's 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, and Lampard explained he has to manage the Frenchman carefully, per Nizaar Kinsella of Goal:

"My feeling is that he has played a lot and that's because he has been so successful and so important to the teams he has been in. At the minute, he has injuries. This little niggle he had is a small, small injury. We just need to get it right. We are just careful and it is my duty to work with him. The medical team are working so hard with him.

"I have been there as a player and, if you miss a pre-season through an injury in particular, then you are playing catch-up. At the moment he is playing catch-up and that's no fault of his own. He has played four seasons now full-on, game after game with international tournaments.

"So, it is right to be a bit careful. Let's be happy. We got a result here, we are doing OK. With N'Golo, when we do get him to where we want him to be, we will be stronger with him."

In the four full Premier League seasons since Kante joined Leicester City from Caen" class="mw-headline">Caen in August 2015, the midfielder played in 142 out of a possible 152 matches.

In that time he won back-to-back Premier League titles with the Foxes and Chelsea, as well as an FA Cup, a UEFA Europa League and a PFA Player of the Year Award.

In the summer of 2018, he also started all seven of France's matches in their triumphant FIFA World Cup campaign.

Already in 2019-20, though, the 28-year-old has missed four of Chelsea's seven matches in the English top flight.

It is clear Lampard is eager for Kante to get back to full fitness before he becomes a regular again in the first team.

After the departure of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid in the summer, Kante is arguably Chelsea's most important player as he contributes all over the pitch.

In a young Chelsea squad, he is also one of the most experienced players, and his remarkable work ethic influences those around him.

Lampard will be frustrated about Kante's current fitness problems, but it will benefit Chelsea in the long run if the Frenchman is given time to get back to 100 per cent.