‘Great to be back in the race’ says Lampard as Chelsea prep for Arsenal

'To feel we're fighting for the title rather than fighting for fourth place - it feels good' said Frank Lampard ahead of Chelsea's marquee meeting with Arsenal on Saturday.

Frank Lampard and Chelsea can separate themselves from Arsenal by seven points with a win on Saturday March 22, 2014. Clive Rose / Getty Images

Frank Lampard is glad to see Chelsea back at the top of the Premier League after several seasons where they’ve fallen short in the title race.

Back in 2005, Jose Mourinho guided the London club to their first championship in 50 years and they defended the title the following season.

However Chelsea have won just one Premier League since, in 2010 under Carlo Ancelotti.

They won the 2012 Champions League and FA Cup, but finished the season 25 points adrift of winners Manchester City in sixth place.

A year later they were 14 points behind Manchester United, finishing third, but won the Europa League.

Mourinho, who returned to Stamford Bridge in pre-season, has downplayed Chelsea’s title chances, saying Manchester City are favourites with games in hand.

But England midfielder Lampard, whose side suffered a setback with a shock 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend, was nevertheless buoyed by Chelsea being four points ahead of second-placed Liverpool.

“It’s great to be in this position,” Lampard said.

“We’ve had a couple of years, two or three years, off the pace, finishing short,” the England midfielder added.

“It’s great to be back in the race and to feel that around the club, to feel we’re fighting for the title rather than fighting for fourth place. It feels good.”

After reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 3-1 aggregate defeat of Galatasaray, Chelsea face a London derby with Arsenal – who are looking for their first trophy in nine years.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, branded a “specialist in failure” by Mourinho last month, will take charge of his 1,000th game leading Arsenal this weekend.

“They’ve got a lot of good players and quality,” Lampard said of Arsenal. “Every team has to break the mould some time.

“We worry about ourselves, where we are at the minute. If we can win as many games as we can till the end of the season we’ll give ourselves a great chance. I am confident.”

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