FOR Frank Lampard a return to the ground where he committed sacrilege by scoring against his beloved Chelsea.
For Manchester City supporters, perhaps, the slightest hint of envy over the advent of Lamps’ Scamps.
Chelsea youngsters Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham have looked promising this seasonCredit: Getty – Contributor
Chelsea’s young side visit the Etihad tomorrow sitting proudly above the champions after six straight wins.
English football’s Oil Firm — transformed from middling clubs by Roman Abramovich and the Abu Dhabi royal family — have racked up seven titles between them this decade.
But while City continue with a lavishly-assembled team, Chelsea are experiencing a glorious reconnection with their roots.
Six academy products featured in Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat of Crystal Palace.
Four of them — Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Callum Hudson-Odoi — played for England this past week.
Meanwhile, City’s own wonderkid, Phil Foden, is yet to start a league match this season.
City supporters don’t have too much to be jealous about after back-to-back titles. Yet all fans love ‘one of their own’.
Chelsea’s experiment with youth is chiefly a happy accident, of course. A year-long transfer ban which has proved no sort of punishment at all.
Despite his legendary Blues status, Lampard surely wouldn’t have been plucked from Derby to succeed Maurizio Sarri without that embargo.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won eight times in 12 attempts this seasonCredit: PA:Press Association
But while there was an element of necessity about injecting young blood, Lampard has embraced the idea.
Full-back Reece James and Scottish midfielder Billy Gilmour, the other two kids who featured against Palace, would not have been fancied as first-teamers so early in his reign.
Yet, like that England quartet, they are thriving.
Abraham has out-scored Sergio Aguero this season, Mount is an excellent creative force, while Tomori has become as a regular starter.
All three were last season on loan in the Championship.
Now, Lampard’s boys can prove they are genuine contenders to finish second behind Liverpool.
The Blues’ only meetings with traditional big-six rivals have ended in two defeats by Manchester United and two by Jurgen’s Klopp’s side.
For Lampard, this is also a chance to bury any lingering resentment about the equaliser he scored — but refused to celebrate — against Chelsea at the Etihad in September 2014.
His move to City was controversial — not least with Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
Released by Chelsea, he was set to join City’s New York franchise, but ended up spend¬ing the entire season at the Etihad first.
And tomorrow there will be familiar City faces — Aguero, David Silva and Fernandinho were team-mates of Lampard.
The champions’ greater experience will make them favourites, despite recent form.
Yet City dodged a transfer ban of their own for flouting rules on signing kids this year.
Some will regret they didn’t get forced down the Chelsea route.
Frank Lampard scored against his beloved Chelsea after his move to CityCredit: Carl Recine
Chelsea player fines revealed as Frank Lampard demands £20,000 for being late to training and £500 a minute for meetings
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
