Frank Lampard returns to Stamford Bridge as Chelsea host Derby County in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
Lampard, who is Chelsea’s all-time record goalscorer with 211 strikes to his name, returns to the club as manager of high-flying Derby, who currently sit sixth in the Championship.
The match itself will be a Chelsea reunion in many ways, with loanees Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori both returning to the Bridge having been allowed to play against their parent club. Not to mention, former academy coach and player Jody Morris will also return as part of Lampard’s backroom staff.
The opposition
The last time the pair met, in 2014, the Blues emerged victorious in a 3-1 win. Yet in what will be the pair’s 107th meeting, it will be a very different Derby County to the one the Blues faced four years ago.
After taking over Derby in the summer, Lampard has already transformed the club in terms of playing style and aspirations.
On the pitch, the Rams play exciting, quick football, causing issues for the opposition due to the high pressing Lampard demands of his three forwards.
While the likes of Harry Wilson, Mason Mount and Tom Lawrence make Derby a very youthful and exciting team, it is Tom Huddlestone, Scott Carson and Richard Keogh who add the experience and leadership to the Rams.
Derby proved their quality, stunning Manchester United at Old Trafford to progress to the next round of the competition courtesy of penalties last time out.
Chelsea news
After a 4-0 win at Burnley, the Blues come into this game in third place in the Premier League and are unbeaten in the process.
Manager Maurizio Sarri has a rare chance to field some of the lesser utilised members of the squad with Victor Moses, Rube Loftus-Cheek, Gary Cahill and Andreas Christensen all in contention for the midweek clash.
Ones to watch
Earning rave reviews has become the norm for 19-year old Chelsea loanee Mason Mount, who is widely regarded as Derby’s best player.
Scoring three goals and contributing with one assist in the Championship, along with two goals in three appearances in the Carabao Cup, Mount could give Chelsea the blues should he hit top gear against his parent club.
Meanwhile, Chelsea fans should be excited to see Loftus-Cheek if Sarri fields the midfielder following his role in the weekend’s match at Burnley.
Scoring four goals in five matches, including a hat-trick against BATE Borisov in the Europa League, the 21-year-old is one of Chelsea’s most in-form players coming into the clash.
