Chelsea’s squad duels up front: Pulisic vs. Hudson-Odoi, Mount vs. RLC

2. Mason Mount vs. Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Central attacking midfielder

Frank Lampard’s return has been full of positives, with the standout being the chances he has given to Chelsea’s talented academy graduates. These youngsters have repaid Lampard’s faith with interest, converting collective years of frustration of being overlooked to break the glass ceiling once put over them.

Lampard has thrust his favourite general at the forefront of this youth revolution: Mason Mount.

No player personifies Lampard’s style of play better than Mount. He is a tenacious presser and mazy dribbler with a knack for scoring goals. He is the focal point of Lampard’s game plan, pressing the opposition into making mistakes and disrupting their flow of play. Lampard has kept Mount by his side since their Derby County days, mentoring him into the Premier League player he now is.

Mount made a flying start to life in the Premier League, earning plaudits from experts and fans alike, showing his relentless drive to succeed. He firmly established himself in the starting line up, so much so that Lampard deployed him in the left wing over natural wingers to retain his qualities in the team. He truly showcased why Chelsea’s academy is so highly rated and was Mount earned his full England cap.

Mount has seemingly lost some of his attacking edge over the last couple of months, perhaps from all the running he has done leaving him tired and hurting his productivity in the process. His performances should be constructively criticised and do not warrant any of the hate that has come his way from a part of the Blue fan base. Statements like calling on Lampard to buy James Maddison to replace Mount are the most hypocritical by the fans who have bashed the club on their youth policy over the years.

Lampard can do better by rotating Mount to refresh him between appearances. This will help Mount’s effectiveness in the final third. But Lampard has not been able to rotate Mount because the players who possess a similar skill set – Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek – have been injured.

But Lampard must do better to ensure young players like Mount are not burned out due to overplaying.

Despite being tactically indispensable, Mount will be looking over his shoulder to see the recovery status of arguably the first player to truly break out of the modern Chelsea academy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Loftus-Cheek has been one of the unluckiest players in recent years, constantly on the cusp of realising his potential, only to find himself back on the treatment table. It is a cycle that requires great mental fortitude to overcome, and to that extent, Loftus-Cheek has come back stronger each time. When fully fit, Loftus-Cheek is absolutely unplayable.

For a player with his longish body structure, Loftus-Cheek is one of the most agile, nimble-footed, yet physically dominant players in the world. The way he quickly turns on players and gallops the entire length of the field, brushing some players off with his brute strength and bamboozling the rest with his flair, is truly a treat for the eyes. In recent seasons he has also added a clinical edge to his end-product, making him one of the most dangerous midfielders in the world.

Under Maurizio Sarri last season, Loftus-Cheek was arguably on par with Eden Hazard as Chelsea’s best player. He greatly improved the defensive side of his game, which he noticeably lacked before. This kind of an improvement will greatly benefit him under Lampard. He is the real example of a “generational talent,” as you would be hard-pressed to find a player of the same ilk in the world. He is the Rolls-Royce kind of player that Chelsea is lucky to possess.

Loftus-Cheek would thrive as the attacking force of the midfield three, with better positional sense and all-around play than Mount. But as he will soon find out, Mount’s pressing and set piece qualities make him quite undroppable for Lampard. Loftus-Cheek will have far from a fairy tale return to the starting line-up.

With the talent and drive to succeed that both players possess, their battle promises to sizzle and entertain unless Lampard finds a way to fit them together in his game plan. The position they will vie for is tactically the most crucial one, and neither will have the luxury to rest once in the XI.

Out of every player battle that will play out over the season, Mason Mount vs. Loftus-Cheek will be the most important and hotly debated one, with the potential for both players to come out of it truly world class. Lampard is going to need every bit of his 150 IQ to solve this selection dilemma.

The battle between Lampard’s golden boy and the prodigal son of Chelsea’s academy is just on the horizon.