Lampard: Luiz is no weak link

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Frank Lampard insists former Blues defender David Luiz is not a weak link who can be exploited when Chelsea face Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

The Brazilian was in superb form as the Gunners beat Manchester City to set up an all-London final against Lampard’s side at Wembley on Saturday evening.


But Luiz has made a number of high-profile mistakes this season and the defender has continued to polarise opinion since moving from west to north London.

Lampard said he and his coaching staff “certainly haven’t” been planning to target Luiz when asked about him at a news conference on Friday.

“What I do have for David is a real respect,” Lampard added.

“He is a team-mate I played with in the Champions League we won in 2012 and the bond of that group and the group over those years was huge and David was a big personality within that and a top player within that.

“And when I think about preparing for Arsenal with David in the team, I know how good David can be and what an influence he can be so I look at him in that way.”

Meanwhile, N’Golo Kante and Willian are in Chelsea’s squad for the final but Ruben Loftus-Cheek is out after picking up an injury.