Cash Vs class

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s financial muscle breathed new life in London-based Chelsea Football Club when he took over in 2003. And almost two decades later, the Blues have won 18 pieces of silverware including five Premier League titles and the 2012 Uefa Champions League crown.

When Chelsea’s two-window transfer ban was cut short by half early this year, manager Frank Lampard has finally stretched his arms.

With Abramovich’s backing, the former midfielder Lampard has revamped his squad with 200 million Pounds to bring in Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell.

The new-look Chelsea side began the new Premier League campaign with a 3-1 away victory at Brighton & Hove on Monday night.

And now, the aura of optimism around Lampard’s brigade has elevated Chelsea’s title ambitions in a flash moment. Now after spending, Abramovich is right to demand for a sixth league title in 16 years. And that involves unseating the champions Liverpool, who finished 33 points above them - an equivalent of 11 wins - last term.

 Lampard now has a chance to show how much stride his side can go in the title race when they host Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at Stamford Bridge tonight.

The off-pitch flames are already up after Lampard was surprised by Klopp’s comments about their recent spending spree. “I found it slightly amusing because when you talk about the owners of clubs, I don’t think it matters what line of business they come from,” Lampard told British media. “We are talking about some very rich owners in the Premier League.”

“Liverpool’s story is a fantastic story of a club over the five years that Klopp has been there that they have managed to get recruitment right to a really high level,” he added.

 “You can go through the Liverpool players, (Virgil) Van Dijk, Alisson, Fabinho, Keita, Sadio Mane, (Mohamed) Salah, incredible players that came at a very high price.”

“Between Frank (Lampard) and me there is absolutely nothing - I admired him and loved him as a player and now he is doing a really good job as a coach,” Klopp said. “So I can’t help you with some ‘rivalry’ between us, we will obviously be rivals on Sunday but apart from that it’s all good.

Klopp is wary of the threat Chelsea will pose, not just this season but in the years to come. “There’s plenty of threats, they’ve signed really well and already had an unbelievably good team,” added Klopp. “We had to suffer a lot against them in the games last season. “Christian Pulisic obviously wasn’t involved but he’ll probably be fit for the game, Mason Mount and I know Kai Havertz from the Bundesliga - he will play a proper role this season. “There’s so many good players up front, in midfield, the defensive line and the full-backs - there’s not a biggest threat, Chelsea themselves are the threat - that’s how it is in football.”

Unlike Chelsea, Liverpool laboured to beat Championship winners Leeds United 4-3 last Saturday thanks to Egyptian forward Salah’s hat-trick.

If newcomers Leeds managed three, Lampard’s front line led by German Werner with back of Havertz and Mason Mount would desire to test Klopp’s backline even more.

PREMIER LEAGUE

TODAY’S FIXTURES
So’ton          vs.  Tottenham 
(SS 225, 2PM)
Newcastle vs. Brighton  (SS 223, 4PM)
Chelsea      vs.  Liverpool      (SS 223, 6.30PM)
Leicester   vs.  Burnley       (SS 223, 9PM)
MONDAY, SEPT. 21
Aston Villa vs.  Sheffield   (SS 223, 8PM)
Wolves        vs.  Man City          (SS 223, 10.15PM)