Frank Lampard finds himself under pressure as Chelsea head into the new year seven points adrift of league leaders Liverpool.

A textbook Roman Abramovich spending spree during the summer handed Lampard the personnel needed to take his Chelsea revolution to a new level, but his failure to extract the best form out of a handful of the new recruits has restricted the club's progress this season. 

Kai Havertz has looked alarmingly languid and ineffective for a £71m player, while Timo Werner's struggle in front of goal has been well documented. 

But just how much have the Blues underachieved and is Lampard really the man to blame for their recent downturn in form? 

Well, for any manager there is only so much they can do to influence the outcome of proceedings. 

In Lampard's case, it appears that his players' inefficiency in front of goal has cost his side just shy of six points. 

Indeed, according to the Expected Points table for the 2020/21 season thus far, per Understat data, Chelsea should be top of the table on New Year's Day with a total of 31.57 points, which places them above Liverpool (30.14) and Manchester City (28.65) in 2nd and 3rd respectively. 

Chelsea are one of the biggest climbers in the division, but it's Brighton & Hove Albion who enjoy the biggest ascendancy from 17th into 6th place in this alternative table. 

Graham Potter's side have impressed throughout the 2020/21 campaign and their lowly position in the table has been considered an aberration by some.

If the Seagulls needed some evidence to illuminate the scale of their underachievement, then Understat's xPTS (expected points) table provides it in abundance.

Elsewhere Manchester United drop from 2nd to 7th having picked up 30 points when they were only expected to collect 24.71 according to this algorithm, while Sheffield United move into 18th with an extra 12.65 points to add to their measly total of just two in reality. 

Let's take a look at the xPTS table in full below.  

20. West Bromwich Albion (7.52 points)

19. Burnley (14.18 points)

18. Sheffield United (14.65 points)

17. Newcastle United (16.26 points)

16. Wolverhampton Wanderers (18.03 points)

15. Crystal Palace (18.10 points)

14. Fulham (18.18 points)

13. Southampton (20.39 points)

12. West Ham (20.94 points)

11. Everton (21.52 points)

10. Arsenal (21.81 points)

9. Tottenham Hotspur (22.23 points)

8. Leeds United (22.64 points)

7. Manchester United (24.71 points)

6. Brighton & Hove Albion (24.72 points)

5. Leicester City (25.46 points) 

4. Aston Villa (27.25 points)

3. Manchester City (28.65 points)

2. Liverpool (30.14 points)

1. Chelsea (31.57 points)