Lampard: I have always followed Maresca's coaching career, especially during his time at Chelsea

At 22:00 Beijing time tomorrow, Coventry will face Manchester City in the third round of the Premier League. In the first part of his pre-match press conference, Lampard spoke about his expectations for the match and his thoughts on Maresca.

You will return to the Etihad Stadium this weekend to face Manchester City. The last time you returned there as a coach was in 2023 when you were managing Chelsea, wasn't it? How excited are you to go back? Have you shared your previous experiences with the players this week?

Many of my previous experiences are actually different from the current situation. The Premier League and the Championship are completely different levels, and every top opponent is full of talented players, which is very clear. Therefore, my past coaching experiences may not directly solve the challenges we will face tomorrow.

As for Manchester City, I have a good feeling about the club. I spent a very enjoyable year there as a player, and at that time the club was in a period of upward development. One or two years after I left, Guardiola took charge, and everyone knows what happened afterwards.

They built their current success step by step, and everyone has witnessed their journey as a club. So I am happy to return to a place that left me with great memories, but the match will be a difficult test for us and also a valuable opportunity to see what kind of performance we can produce away from home.

After overcoming nervousness, your next opponent is Manchester City. How do you guide your players to find the balance between playing freely and attacking bravely while recognizing City's threats and limiting them defensively?

We must recognize reality and express ourselves freely while maintaining concentration. Premier League matches are often decided by moments of individual brilliance, and Manchester City have many players capable of producing such decisive moments. There is nothing wrong with approaching the game as the underdog.

We will be the less-fancied side in many matches this season, but we cannot become fearful because of that. We need to approach games with a challenger mentality, play in our own way and reduce our fear. The previous match against Arsenal gave us valuable experience. That game is now behind us, and we welcome the next challenge as another opportunity to learn.

If we can get an ideal result against Manchester City, how much would that help boost the team's morale and start the new season?

A victory will certainly bring confidence, but we also have to look at the bigger picture. Right now, the only thing we need to do is prepare fully for this match and produce our best level. There is a long schedule after Manchester City, and although a win in this match would be significant, the difficulty of the game is obvious.

Let's talk about Maresca. He previously managed Chelsea. How do you evaluate his coaching career? After Guardiola achieved great success, what kind of challenge does he face taking over Manchester City?

His coaching record is very impressive. I do not personally know him and have never met him, but I have always followed his coaching journey, especially during his time managing Chelsea.

As a coach, he has received entirely positive evaluations. Replacing a football legend like Guardiola is an extremely difficult task, but Manchester City have a strong squad and a very solid foundation built by the club. He can continue to lead the team to achieve good results.

Let's discuss physical battles. Premier League players are now tall and strong, and the intensity of contact is almost comparable to rugby. Based on your experiences as a player and coach, has the physical intensity now reached its historical peak?

The Premier League has always continued to evolve, and I do not think this trend will reverse. To establish yourself in the Premier League today, players must meet the demands of physical ability, fitness output and strength. Set pieces are becoming increasingly important, and every team's tactical quality is also improving.

Results are often decided by explosiveness, speed and strength. Against teams that deliberately compress space and use man-marking systems, forwards must have the physical ability to escape defenders and create chances themselves. No one will simply give you attacking opportunities. Physical qualities and technical ability are equally important. Looking at clubs' recruitment strategies, it is clear that physicality has become a major factor in transfer evaluations.