Frank Lampard on Christian Pulisic, Michy Batshuayi: 'Absolutely We Need Them'

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has said Christian Pulisic and Michy Batshuayi will be needed throughout the season after their cameos in the 4-1 win over Southampton.

The pair were brought into the game late on, with the Blues having established a 3-1 lead at St Mary's. Pulisic's delicate pass into the path of Batshuayi saw Chelsea grab their fourth goal of the day, capping off one of the most impressive performances of Lampard's tenure.

The minutes would have been welcome for the duo, as they have struggled to force their way into Lampard's plans.

After Sunday's handsome win, the coach said he was happy with their impact and will definitely call on them in the coming weeks, per Coral Barry of Metro:

"I get asked weekly 'why is he not in the squad?' and 'why is he on the bench?' when it comes to certain players. We need all of the players. You need the contribution of Michy coming on and getting his goal. He's been training really well.

"Christian coming on with a great assist for the goal. Those players, absolutely we need them as the games come thick and fast. 

"At the moment, we are going well and keeping a similar core of the team. But we are going to need everyone, and that means training at a level and being happy as a complete group when we come away and get a result like this."

Lampard would have been delighted with the manner in which the team attacked at St Mary's, with Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and N'Golo Kante getting on the scoresheet before Batshuayi wrapped the game up:

Batshuayi posted the following after notching for the first time in the Premier League this season:

The Belgium international and Pulisic previously linked up during their time together at Borussia Dortmund, and that familiarity may stand them in good stead as they seek to prove themselves to their manager. 

After agreeing a deal with Chelsea in January and moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer, Pulisic was expected to be a key player in the early stages of Lampard's tenure.

However, in the opening weeks of the season, Pulisic hasn't been able to establish himself in the starting XI on a regular basis. Not only have Mason Mount and Willian excelled in the attacking-midfield positions, Callum Hudson-Odoi has also impressed since returning from injury.

Football commentator Ian Darke thinks it's imperative Pulisic shows a good attitude as he seeks to establish himself in the side:

As ESPN's Taylor Twellman noted, both Pulisic and Lampard are still in the infancy of their playing and managerial careers, respectively:

At the moment, the Blues are thriving going forward, with the quartet of Abraham, Mount, Willian and Hudson-Odoi seemingly set to be Lampard's first-choice setup.

Pulisic and Batshuayi may find it hard to force their way into first-team contention for a while as a result. However, they have each proved they can influence games from the bench and will surely get opportunities to start in the cup competitions, too.