Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard says he knows he will have to keep performing well to earn the chance to stay at the Premier League champions beyond Jan. 1.
Lampard, 36, has made an impressive start to life as a loan player in Manuel Pellegrini's side and the club are thought to be keen to extend his time with them further into next year.
"The temptation is to not get ahead of myself in my career," Lampard told Manchester Evening News. "I am here until Jan. 1, basically, so I will focus on that and see what happens then.
"There has been a lot said about when the season starts, but the only thing that can decide my future is how well I am playing. They will be kicking me out in January if I don't play very well!
"I am just looking game to game and trying to play as well as I can."
Lampard, who has scored twice already in just three Premier League games this season, including a vital equaliser against former club Chelsea, has been an instant hit with his new club's fans.
"I have scored a few goals and I hope they can see my desire," he added. "I haven't come here just to train and make up numbers in the squad.
"People might have thought that was the case but it's not. I want to perform -- I have always done it throughout my career -- and if people see that I am giving my all the fans will get behind me."