Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has claimed that Mikel Arteta could have been sacked two or three times before he mounted a title challenge with Arsenal ahead of the two sides meeting at the Emirates on Tuesday evening.
Following a mixed spell under Graham Potter, the club have lost all five of their games under caretaker boss Lampard, most recently falling to a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge against Brentford, and they travel across London to take on Premier League challengers Arsenal in midweek.
Both Lampard and Arteta took charge of their respective clubs in 2019, but the Chelsea legend was sacked in 2021, while Arteta was stuck with by the Arsenal board despite back to back 8th placed finishes.
And, speaking to the media ahead of the game, Lampard suggested that, had it been the other way round it may have been Arteta out of a job.
“It’s interesting to compare. We all had an insight to Arsenal through the Amazon series”, he began.
“There’s a long process to get where you want and I remember playing Mikel’s early teams and sometimes it was a five [at the back], sometimes a four – now you see they have a clear identity.
The two sides are now on very different trajectories, and Chelsea won the Champions League in the time that Mikel Arteta has made Arsenal competitive again.
Without even a point to his name since returning to Stamford Bridge for the second time, Lampard will be hoping that patience doesn’t wear thin in west London for a second time.
