‘They look better without him’ – Merson urges Frank Lampard to bench this Chelsea star

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The game of the Premier League weekend is arguably the London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

Not only is it a top of the table clash between two of the most attacking teams in the division, but it again throws up the teacher vs pupil scenario as Jose Mourinho goes up against his former Chelsea midfielder, Frank Lampard.

The latter has already had the better of the Special One, but the Portuguese has the north Londoners playing as well as they have in many a year.

The game certainly promises goals and incident though there’s one Chelsea star that Paul Merson believes should start on the bench.

“Chelsea have found the right blend up front without Kai Havertz in the team and he might find himself on the fringes now,” he wrote in his column for the Daily Star.

“[…] They’ve had Tammy Abraham up front and Timo Werner playing wider, and it has suited them. It looks like their best system.

“Havertz wasn’t pulling up any trees before he missed those games. He’s a young lad who needs time to settle.

“I wouldn’t throw him back in against Tottenham because they look better without him right now.”

Although it’s a controversial view, it’s not without merit.

Havertz has been disappointing since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, and hasn’t settled in quite the same way as the other summer signings.

Lampard has the strength of character to pick his team as he sees fit rather than being hamstrung by boardroom interference, so it will be interesting to see what XI he starts with on Sunday.

More Stories Frank Lampard Jose Mourinho Kai Havertz Paul Merson Tammy Abraham Timo Werner