Thomas Tuchel is looking forward to meeting Frank Lampard in person for the first time and says the man he succeeded as Chelsea boss will always remain a Blues great.
Lampard won 11 major trophies across a legendary 14-year playing career with Chelsea and remains the London club's all-time leading scorer with 211 goals
The 43-year-old had less success in the Stamford Bridge dugout, however, as he lasted just 18 months at the helm before being sacked in January 2021.
Tuchel guided Chelsea to Champions League glory four months later and has won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup this season.
Lampard is now in charge of Everton and has a serious task on his hands in keeping the Toffees in the Premier League.
Speaking ahead of their first managerial meeting at Goodison Park on Sunday, Tuchel revealed Lampard reached out to him when the German was first appointed by Chelsea.
"He sent me a very kind and respectful message after I took over," Tuchel said.
"It meant a lot because I was a huge fan of him as a player and he'll remain a legend at our club, that's a given. I was very happy when he wrote me the gentlemanly message.
"We didn't have a chance to meet before. When took over at Everton he took one of our assistants away with him (Joe Edwards) so we were not so happy with that!
"We will see some familiar faces, with Joey and Ashley Cole also there. I never met Frank in person so I'll be happy to meet him.
"But we arrive with our team needing points, and Everton need the points urgently as well."
Lampard will be the 10th former Chelsea manager to take charge of a Premier League match against the Blues.
Only one of the previous nine has won their first such match, with Claudio Ranieri winning 2-1 with Leicester City in December 2015.
Lampard may not have won any silverware while in charge of Chelsea, but he was widely praised for giving younger players such as Reece James and Mason Mount a chance.
The pair have continued to thrive under Tuchel, who is more than happy to select academy products if they are good enough for the first team.
Asked if he is grateful to Lampard for his previous work at the club, Tuchel said: "Frank didn't do it to do them a favour. Every coach does it because it's about helping them team.
"If Thiago [Silva] helps us we don't care how old he is, and we don't care how young somebody is – if you're ready, you're ready.
"I strongly believe you'll find your way if you have what it takes. I'm incredibly grateful for the academy quality and culture at Chelsea to push these boys through.
"This is top, top quality. It is our job to let them play and push them – this is what Chelsea is all about."
Chelsea drew 1-1 with Manchester United on Thursday to move eight points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham in the race for Champions League football.
Everton's focus is on surviving the drop, with Sunday's contest the first time they have started a league game in the relegation zone since December 2019.
The Toffees beat Chelsea 3-1 on that occasion and Tuchel is not taking anything for granted this weekend at a raucous Goodison Park.
"Everyone tells me about the atmosphere at Goodison – how emotional and tough it is to play there," the German said. "I'm excited to go there and we expect a tough fight."
Man City stay on course for treble after beating Man United in FA Cup final
Ilkay Gundogan’s jaw-dropping double fired treble-chasing Manchester City to an unforgettable FA Cup final win against rivals Manchester United.
Wembley witnessed an all-Manchester epic on Saturday as the neighbours met in a major final for the first time, bringing the curtain down on the domestic season in enthralling fashion.
City emerged triumphant thanks to Gundogan’s fine volleys in a 2-1 victory that gives Pep Guardiola’s men the chance to emulate United’s 1999 treble heroics next weekend.
The 32-year-old midfielder has proven to be a man for the big occasions during his time with the Premier League champions and lashed home a record-breaking opener after just 12 seconds.
Gundogan’s stupendous volley was the quickest FA Cup final goal and looked set to spark a derby humiliation, only for United to draw level against the run of play.
City were enraged by the decision to award handball against Jack Grealish, but captain Bruno Fernandes kept his cool to slot home in front of the opposition support.
But Guardiola’s men would not be denied a seventh FA Cup triumph, with Gundogan volleying home what proved to be the winner from the edge of the box early in the second half.
Victory in arguably the biggest Manchester derby of all time now means City can win the treble in next weekend’s Champions League final against Inter Milan.
As for United, this was a galling end to a promising first season under Erik ten Hag. They hit the woodwork in stoppage time, but a second equaliser was beyond them.
Ilkay Gundogan makes FA Cup final history with quickfire goal inside 12 seconds
Ilkay Gundogan set a new FA Cup final record when he scored after just 12 seconds against Manchester United.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the other quickfire goals from finals.
Roberto Di Matteo (43 seconds) – Chelsea v Middlesbrough, 1997
The Italian scored after just 43 seconds to set Chelsea on their way to a 2-0 win over, with Eddie Newton getting a late second.
Dennis Wise started the move midway inside Chelsea’s half and found Di Matteo, who was still inside the centre circle.
The midfielder was allowed to continue running by the Boro midfield before rifling in high, clipping the bar, past Ben Roberts in goal.
Louis Saha (25 seconds) – Everton v Chelsea, 2009
Di Matteo’s record stood for 12 years until striker Saha bettered it against Chelsea.
A cross by Steven Pienaar was only half cleared by the Chelsea defence allowing Marouane Fellaini to nod the ball down for Saha.
The former Manchester United striker still had plenty to do but swivelled to bury a fine first-time half-volley past Petr Cech.
It failed to stop Chelsea, though, as Didier Drogba levelled 20 minutes later before Frank Lampard’s second-half winner.
Ilkay Gundogan (12 seconds) – Manchester City v Manchester United, 2023
The midfielder stunned United with a goal after just 12 seconds of this year’s final.
He had actually taken kick-off and knocked the ball back to Stefan Ortega in the City goal.
The goalkeeper launched the ball forward for Erling Haaland to nod it on.
As Kevin De Bruyne challenged Victor Lindelof, the ball dropped for Gundogan to smash in a brilliant volley past the static David De Gea from 25 yards.
Kris Doolan believes Partick Thistle have Premiership credentials
Kris Doolan believes Partick Thistle have all the ingredients of a cinch Premiership team as they stand on the brink of a return to the top flight.
The Jags will take a 2-0 lead from the first leg of their play-off final against Ross County to Dingwall for the return game on Sunday.
Doolan, who stepped up from the club’s academy to take over from Ian McCall in February – initially as interim boss – has total belief in his squad, the first team to finish fourth in the second tier to go all the way to the play-off final.
Former Thistle striker Doolan, who lost a play-off final against Livingston in 2018, said: “Ian McCall built this squad and he deserves a lot of credit for that because it is a fantastic squad.
“To me it is a Premiership squad and we have managed to find a shape and a style of play that suits us.
“We play to our strengths but ultimately there are guys in there who have played hundreds of games at Premiership level.
“It is not as if we are a young side who are wet behind the ears, we don’t understand what the games are all about. They know how to get through games.
“You look in their eyes, they are desperate to be in the Premiership.
“They have a one-track mind and that is what we have tried to instil. We have tried to instil a winning mentality, a winning environment and winning breeds winning.
“I say that all the time but it becomes a habit and it is a habit that is hard to break but likewise if you are losing games, it is a hard habit to break that as well.
“I have been on the flip side of it coming out the Premiership, I know what it is like in these play-off games, when there is so much at stake it is difficult to stop a team with momentum coming into the last game especially, even though you might be at home. It is still a difficult thing to stop.
“We have had five games under real pressure in the play-offs but the players play as if there is no pressure. We have nothing to lose. We have everything to gain.
“Ross County are the team who could potentially come out of the Premiership. But for us, we will go up there with the mentality to win and hopefully get the job done.”
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