Liverpool vs Chelsea: Jurgen Klopp hails 'brilliant' Frank Lampard progress and 'interesting' tactics

Matt Davies21 July 2020

Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on Frank Lampard, insisting the "brilliant" Chelsea boss entered the managerial game "prepared" after clearly learning about the game while playing.

Liverpool will be presented with the Premier League trophy following Wednesday's fixture against Chelsea, who are still fighting for both a top-four spot and FA Cup glory this season.

Lampard will come up against Arsenal and Mikel Arteta in the FA Cup final on August 1, with Klopp acknowledging the achievement of one of the managers winning a trophy in their first season in charge.

The German has been particularly impressed by Lampard, however, who he believes has coped with fierce expectations well.

“Frank is doing an exceptional job, not only at Chelsea either - he did really, really well at Derby already," Klopp told Liverpool's official website.

In Pictures | Manchester United vs Chelsea, FA Cup | 19/07/2020

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“[He] faced quite a challenge at Chelsea because I think when you are Chelsea manager… I don’t think anybody expected the title this year from them, but everybody expected them to qualify for the Champions League because that’s what we all need as clubs.

"That’s how it is, and that, in a really, really strong league, is always a challenge. It was for us always and will always be for us, that’s how it is.

“I really think he did brilliantly. He is now in the FA Cup final obviously, which is a big one, and by the way, both managers in the FA Cup final, one of them will win their first major trophy this year so that’s really impressive.

“But Frank knows as well that he has a really good team there on the pitch, that’s a proper team [with] a lot of talent."

Klopp has also been impressed by Lampard's tactical variation throughout his first season in charge, stating he "respects" his knowledge of the game and insisting he is "100 per cent" ready for management.

"He made some interesting decisions," he added. "He changed systems from time to time, even during games and stuff like this so that shows just that he used his playing time not only for moving his legs.

"He really learned about the game and knew already about the game before he started managing, which is a completely different animal obviously.

“But he looked really prepared for the job and I respect that a lot. Still young, yeah, but we were all young one day in our lives!

"But he’s 100 per cent ready for the challenges out there and it’s nice for him, being a Chelsea legend, being now there in the hotseat and I think everyone there wants him to succeed."

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