Chelsea: Four key clashes in the FA Cup semifinal with Manchester United

4. Frank Lampard versus Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Usually, the tactical warfare between managers is an obvious key clash of the match that need not be stated. Lampard versus Solskjaer, however, is not in the realm of an ordinary manger battle because of the multiple narratives that shape it.

A legend returning to a fallen giant as the manager attempting to restore it to its glory days is a feel good tale that is rare to come across in the footballing world. The Chelsea and United fanbases have been treated to exactly that when Lampard and Solskjaer took charge of their first full seasons with the club this past year, drawing the inevitable comparisons.

With two rebuilding projects headed by legend  turned managers, the Blue and Red rivalry was ushered into its latest chapter. The clubs have been at each other’s throats all season long, being the main rivals for the Champions League spots and clashing for the fourth time this season on Sunday. This is where things get interesting.

Solskjær’s United has outclassed Lampard’s Chelsea in each of the three encounters between them, scoring eight times and conceding only once. It’s the Blues, however, who have been in the top four for almost the entire season while the Red Devils have fluctuated between eighth and fifth place.

While that could very well change in the space of a week, it goes to show that Lampard has arguably had much the better season, especially when you take into account that he lost his best player at the start of the season and was deprived of making any transfers.

By integrating the academy graduates, expertly managing his star players and being tactically shrewd on multiple occasions, Lampard has not done much wrong. His only demon then remains being outfoxed by Solskjaer three times, as he aims to set the record straight on Sunday.

With Solskjaer’s Red Devils in red hot form and unbeaten in 18 games, Lampard needs to conjure some kind of tactical masterclass, as he did against Mourinho’s Spurs in December. Solskjaer has so far had his number by surrendering possession in all matches and clinically hitting the Blues on the breaks. The Norwegian even deployed a 3-5-2 to catch Lampard off guard in the last meetings.

The semifinal on Sunday does not only represent a chance to be a FA Cup finalist but would be a huge psychological victory that swings the momentum in favor of the victor as the top four race reaches its climax next week. For Lampard, it represents a chance to exorcise his demons when it comes to Solskjaer’s United and possibly ends his first season as Chelsea manager with a major trophy.