Lampard on the rise as Chelsea become genuine challengers

All of the millions that Chelsea spent in the summer are beginning to shine through as Frank Lampard’s men become serious title challengers.

Speaking on the latest edition of Big Weekend on YouTube, Mark Smith and Sarah Winterburn praised the Blues but agreed that they need to keep up this form.

Sarah said: “You have to have them down as genuine title contenders now. We talked at the start of the season as to what Frank Lampard needs to achieve this season after a summer of spending – and they did spend an awful lot of money. You look at that and think, what does he need to achieve? Well he needs to achieve exactly what he’s doing now, which is a title challenge.

“No one is saying that he has to win it but he needs to be within ten or 12 points of the champions… and probably closer if you look at how Liverpool have started. I still expect Liverpool to win the title. I think Chelsea should expect to be near them.

“Everton is a test but Everton defensively are going to play straight into Chelsea’s hands. They’re just not good enough at the back. For all the excitement – we talk about Richarlison, about James, about Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but they are sort of playing with hands tied behind their backs at the moment.

“Everton have become a really good side to watch after a couple of years when they were a little bit on the dull side and lost a bit of the pizzazz. They do have the pizzazz back but I do think that Carlo Ancelotti would like them to bit a dull again and a couple of 1-0 wins would probably suit him well I think. There’s a feeling of kamikaze about Everton and that won’t suite Ancelotti. It certainly doesn’t point towards a top six/top seven finish that was promised in October.”

Mark and Sarah showed particular praise for Lampard who is beginning to breakthrough in the managerial world.

Winty said: “He’s been impressive and I’ve not always been kind to Frank Lampard and maybe he’s been unfairly judged because he doesn’t have a lot of managerial experience.

“He clearly got the Chelsea job – by his own admission – because of his status as a player. But he could actually be quite good at this.

“It might be that he was lucky to get the job but then it won’t be so lucky if he wins the title or comes close this season. That would be because he might actually be quite good at this.”