Sunday afternoon sees Pep Guardiola’s Man City side welcome Frank Lampard’s Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium.
Before the games on Saturday, the Premier League leaders knew that they’d need to beat the Blues to secure their third title in succession, but as things worked out – with Arsenal losing at Nottingham Forest – the title was secured without even kicking a ball.
Compare and contrast City’s campaign with that of Chelsea, now under Lampard’s tutelage but previously Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel’s concern.
The Blues have had a disaster of a 2022/23 season and supporters are unlikely to let them forget about it in a hurry.
They’ll almost certainly not want to have City rubbing their success in their faces on Sunday, though prior to the game Frank Lampard appears to be keen to make a decision that will do just that.
According to football.london, it looks likely that the Blues will give Pep Guardiola’s side a guard of honour as they enter the pitch.
“When it’s (title win) done? I haven’t (thought about it) but we could do,” he was quoted as saying by the outlet.
“I remember getting that as a player and it was something that was very respectful so I would have no problem with that at all.”
If the match then becomes the procession that many expect, it will leave a very sour taste in the mouths of those that have travelled north and paid their hard-earned.
Though guards of honour are common place in Europe and seen as a respectful gesture, Chelsea have been so bad that supporters may see it as kow-towing from Lampard to his former club.