Chelsea defender Reece James and midfielder Mason Mount will miss the rest of the season due to injuries, interim manager Frank Lampard said on Tuesday.

James has been ruled out with a hamstring injury while Mount has been sidelined with an abdominal problem, although he has an outside chance of returning for the last game of the season.

“James will be unavailable for the rest of the season. Mount the same, he might make the last match but that’s unlikely. That’s obviously disappointing for us,” Lampard said ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League clash against Brentford.

“Kai (Havertz) is still struggling with his knee but should be available for the end of the week.”

Chelsea, who are 11th in the league standings and at risk of their worst domestic league finish in nearly 30 years, will look to end their seven-game winless run in all competitions against Brentford. Lampard is yet to win a game since returning to Stamford Bridge following Graham Potter’s departure.

Klopp’s target

Liverpool still have room for improvement despite a resurgence in recent Premier League games, manager Juergen Klopp said on Tuesday as they look to secure a European qualifying spot after a poor season.

Liverpool, who are seventh, have struggled with consistency this season and were not at their clinical best in their 3-2 victory over bottom-side Nottingham Forest over the weekend. Klopp’s side are unbeaten in their last four matches and next play West Ham United on Wednesday.

“We have to still improve ourselves. We can’t talk about consistency after winning two games, especially when you win a game like the last one,” Klopp said.