‘Top-four finish will be good for Ole, Lampard’
MUMBAI: England legend Alan Shearer believes that a top-four finish for Manchester United and Chelsea should be seen as a successful season for their respective managers, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Frank Lampard.
The most successful clubs in the Premier League era are currently locked in a battle for topfour spot—with a few other clubs—which will seal their spot in next year’s Champions League. Currently, Chelsea occupy the fourth spot in the standings with 44 points while United are three points behind in fifth position.
Solskjaer was appointed as an interim manager in place of Jose Mourinho in December 2018 before signing a three-year contract three months later. Lampard, after his successful stint with Derby County, was handed over the reins of his former club at the start of the season.
“They have been legends at their respective clubs. But it is great that these guys, who have played for the club, to be given opportunities to get into management. And if Frank and Ole can get into the top four this year, then it would be deemed as a successful season,” Shearer said on Wednesday.
He added: “If I could be honest, I didn’t know what to expect this time. Because with the transfer ban that Chelsea had and losing an important player in the form of Eden Hazard (to Real Madrid FC), I always felt that success for Chelsea
would be to get into the top four. United have given an opportunity to themselves to be there after being disappointed for the large part of the season.”
Both clubs have seen downturns in their fortunes in recent times with Manchester United’s last Premier League title coming in 2012-13, while The Blues last laid their hands on the trophy in 2016-17. Arsenal is the other team to have plummeted (and are also being managed this season by their former player Mikel Arteta) but Shearer believes all of them are capable of bouncing back.
“Arteta has been doing well (at Arsenal) and things have improved. That has been the same with Chelsea and United. All these teams have got young and exciting players who want to win bigger things,” said the former Newcastle United captain, who retired in 2006 and still remains the top scorer in the Premier League with 260 goals.
Shearer is impressed with the way Liverpool have performed this season despite coming agonisingly close to winning the title last term.
“All the Liverpool players have had a brilliant season. Last season, they lost only one game and yet didn’t win the league. To come back from that, it shows the great mentality that the manager (Juergen Klopp) has instilled into that club,” he said.
He added: “Probably four out of the six nominations for Player of the Year Award will be from Liverpool. They have run away with the title this season.”