Graeme Souness does not believe that Chelsea will make the top four under Frank Lampard this season. He has singled out the Blues and Arsenal’s squads as not being good enough to compete at the top of the table.

The former midfielder predicts that Manchester City and Liverpool will once again be fighting it out for the title, while Tottenham and Manchester United will take the other Champions League places:

“I see it being between the big two again [champions Manchester City and runners-up Liverpool. The nearest challengers will be Tottenham – and after that United. Neither Arsenal or Chelsea are good enough.”

It’s not a surprising prediction considering Chelsea’s transfer ban and Lampard very much being an unknown quantity as a manager in the Premier League.

Still, Chelsea fans will be hoping that Souness’s prediction is way off the mark and that the Blues will prove him wrong over the course of the campaign.

Lampard’s side have a perfect opportunity to put down an early marker when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. It will be interesting to see how they cope against a tough opponent.