LONDON: Successive Chelsea managers have been tasked with rebuilding the backbone of the team but Frank Lampard and John Terry refuse to offer any excuse for their replacement.

The midfielder and central defender scored goals three and four in the European champions’ comfortable 4:0 defeat of their west London neighbours Brentford in a FA Cup fourth round replay.

Uwe Rosler’s League One [third division] side did well to hold Chelsea 2:2 in the original tie but were outclassed in a game overshadowed by the taut relationship between Blues’ skipper John Terry and ‘interim manager’ Rafa Benitez.

Reports that Benitez doubts Terry’s fitness were described after the game as “rubbish” by the ex-England defender.

Terry said: “I have been out for two or three months with a knee injury and the other two centre-backs [Brane Ivanovic and Gary Cahill] have been doing well but it’s good to have competition.”

All four goals came in the second half with the outstanding Juan Mata scoring the first and Oscar, with a backheel, the second. Lampard’s goal was his 199th for the club and, when he was substituted by Benitez, fans urged owner Roman Abramovich: “Sign him up.”

No sign has emerged of Chelsea offering Lampard anything more than a one-year extension when his contract expires at the season’s end.

Rosler thought the margin excessive. He said: “We did very well. We made their life difficult. The scoreline at the end dod not really reflect the game.”

** Sergio Aguero took his goals total for the season to 13 with the double which eased Manchester City to a commanding 4-0 defeat of Leeds United.

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