The former Stamford Bridge favourite has hailed his old colleague for the impact he has had since being appointed permanent Blues manager last year
Frank Lampard will guide Chelsea to a top-four finish in the final weeks of the season, according to Joe Cole, who says a club legend “has been unbelievable” in his first year at the helm.
Chelsea are currently sitting fourth in the Premier League standings, two points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United with a game in hand.
The Blues can open up a five-point lead over their rivals in the race for the final Champions League spot if they beat Aston Villa on Sunday, while also moving to within three points of Leicester in third.
Cole is confident that his former employers will earn a spot at Europe’s elite table once again, and he can even see them leapfrogging the Foxes as the campaign reaches its conclusion over the next two months.
“I’m going to stick with the four teams that are there, but I think Man Utd will push all the way,” the ex-Chelsea winger told 90min.
“I don’t think Chelsea will fall, Frank will have enough. I think Leicester could fall because of their lack of experience, as a club at the top, top echelons. I know they won the league a few years ago, but I think if you’re going to ask if any of the teams would fall out, I think possibly it could be Leicester. I think Chelsea will be fine, I think Frank will be fine.”
Cole went on to praise Lampard for the work he’s done with Chelsea’s academy stars since succeeding Maurizio Sarri in the Stamford Bridge hot seat last summer.
The 38-year-old said of his former team-mate: “The future’s looking bright, you know, credit to the club for appointing Frank at the start of the season. It was a bold decision and credit to Frank, I think he’s been unbelievable, his staff as well.
“He’s brought his staff in, people he can trust, people who do their job very well. He’s really steadied the ship, you know, a great job right from the academy, the club’s really pulling in the right direction and the names they are linked with I think are bang on.
“I think they’re the right type of players for Chelsea, so the club in that sense I think is in a strong, strong position and, you know, a lot of people have to share out the credit for that, but I think mainly you’ve got to look at Frank coming in. I think he’s taken it in his stride and he looks like he’s going to be a top, top manager.”
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