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Frank Lampard could stand in the way of Chelsea's Premier League title pursuit

Frank Lampard could stand in the way of Chelsea's Premier League title pursuit

Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas at the heart of Chelsea's midfield make an argument for being the best central pairing in Europe. Sadly, though, even this talented twosome cannot heal the stab wounds bleeding every time Frank Lampard lines up for Manchester City.

For Chelsea, the first look at Lampard in Manchester City fatigues resulted in mixed emotions. He came on as a substitute to a salute from his former supporters and subsequently scored to deny Chelsea valuable points that will surely be remembered come the final month of the season. Still, that trip to the Twilight Zone was at the Etihad.

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Since then, Lampard trolling Stamford Bridge dressed in the Citizens' shirt rather than Chelsea's blues has since become a real possibility.

For 13 years, no one epitomized Chelsea Football Club more than the goal-scoring midfielder who went box-to-box and set club records. With 211 total goals, Lampard scored more goals in a Chelsea shirt than any other man. One hundred forty-seven of those came in the first division and 26 hit their mark in the FA Cup. Both of those domestic tallies were club records, too.

When Chelsea separated with Lampard over the summer, he joined New York City FC and looked to be headed for a big payday in the United States. However, the club did not yet exist, and Lampard's deal included a loan to his new club's parent club, Manchester City, until Jan. 1, 2015.

[MLS news: Garber says MLS won't interfere with Lampard loan situation]

Prior to opening his scoring account for Man City against Chelsea, Lampard's departure date seemed to be on schedule, as he'd done little to wonder otherwise. Since then, he has featured nine times, scored four goals and twice appeared in a Champions League match. Against Southampton on the weekend, Lampard came on as a substitute to score the second goal in a 3-0 win and help City move into second place in the Premier League, gaining two points on Chelsea.

In a title race that appears set to go down to Manchester City chasing Chelsea, seeing Lampard fighting for Man City until the end just seems out of place. The oddity levels increase when examining the inevitable reality of what comes next.

With Yaya Toure expected to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on January 17, one would expect that Lampard will hang around through the start of February. That means Lampard will likely stand at Stamford Bridge in direct opposition to Chelsea on January 31. It may even be his final Premier League match, which would fit better if he were allowed to switch into a Chelsea shirt.

Frankly, Lampard has been playing well enough to warrant picturing him starting at Stamford Bridge wearing City's crest. Even if the original loan was set to expire on New Year's Day, Lampard would likely have the ability to stay on until at least February, since the Major League Soccer season does not start until March.

If he scores at Stamford Bridge at the end of January, as he did at the Etihad in late September, not one soul would bat an eye. He is Chelsea's record goal scorer, after all.

Should Lampard continue his strong play, City Football Group, the holding company that acquires clubs on behalf of Manchester City, may decide that Lampard is worth more at the Etihad Stadium for the remainder of the European season than at Yankee Stadium.

Obviously, Lampard could follow through with his initial contract and walk away on January 1. To this point, however, he appears set to help Manchester City in its quest to hold onto the Premier League trophy. His actions may not put smiles on faces in West London, but the player has the right to make that decision if the club extends him the option. Also, Chelsea never made him an offer to stay, so it's difficult to blame Lampard for chasing another domestic title.

David Villa alone is not enough to make a splash to start a new club. New York City FC would likely need another new name to bring to the Big Apple. While Lampard's absence would certainly hurt the expansion team's launch, the City folks would quickly quell the panic by paying inflated January prices for another midfield guru that could come over on a short loan or even a permanent move.

Shinji Kagawa and Rafael Van der Vaart would be two names worth inquiring about from the German Bundesliga, as both of those recognizable crafty midfielders currently play on teams deep in Germany's relegation zone. In Spain, Giovani Dos Santos on a loan to MLS would be a perfect fit to draw in the Spanish-speaking audience, particularly fans of the Mexican national team.

Twenty-two points off the pace set by Real Madrid, Villarreal has yet to witness a single goal from Dos Santos domestically (he did score twice in the Europa League). Numerous other players would likely be willing to spend a spring in the States for a bag full of money.

With 36 years on the pitch, Lampard may have been a great fit to launch a new club from a marketing perspective, but he could hardly be expected to carry NYCFC for the next decade. Still, undermining a new club on its initial launch sets a poor precedent. If Lampard is not present for the club's first-ever match, the message to fans will be that "this team and league do not matter." That is no way to start a following.

If Lampard stays in Manchester until May, the decision will deserve all the criticism it receives.

Shahan Ahmed is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. He has previously written about the 2014 World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup and regularly provides opinions on the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga. Follow Shahan on Twitter: @ShahanLA