Frank Lampard remains winless as Chelsea head coach after being held to a 1-1 draw by Leicester at Stamford Bridge on Super Sunday.
Chelsea’s energetic start brought a goal as Wilfred Ndidi’s error allowed Mason Mount to tuck home his first goal for Chelsea (7), but Ndidi made up for it in the second half with a towering header from a James Maddison corner (67).
While Chelsea had chances to build on their first-half lead, Leicester too had clear opportunities to win it after levelling, as Lampard’s first game back at Stamford Bridge ended in frustration.
The result means Lampard is the first Chelsea manager to fail to win any of his first three games in charge of the club since Rafael Benitez in the 2012/13 campaign.
There was an unusual officiating change before kick-off as Graham Scott, who was VAR for Manchester City’s controversial 2-2 draw with Spurs on Saturday, was delayed by traffic, meaning Oliver Langford came in to take charge of his first Premier League game.
Lampard was given a hero’s welcome, and the good mood continued in the first half as Chelsea burst out of the traps; Pedro hit the side-netting before Kasper Schmeichel saved low from Mount’s half volley, but the 20-year-old got his goal just minutes later.
Putting pressure on Ndidi in the final third, Mount robbed the Leicester midfielder before slotting low past Schmeichel from just inside the area.
Chelsea dominated the rest of the half and should have gone in 2-0 up as Mount headed straight at Schmeichel unmarked from eight yards, while N’Golo Kante was denied from close range by a superb last-ditch tackle by Christian Fuchs.
Leicester upped their game after the break, going close as Maddison rounded Kepa Arrizabalaga, only to see his centre cleared by Jorginho, before Tammy Abraham was introduced to a huge ovation from the Stamford Bridge crowd after suffering racist abuse on social media in midweek.
Leicester’s leveller was deserved as Ndidi made amends, rising superbly above Cesar Azpilicueta from Maddison’s right-wing corner to leave Kepa rooted.
And Leicester should have been ahead minutes later through Maddison, who blazed over in space from eight yards after somehow dancing past two Chelsea challenges, before Jamie Vardy struck inches wide from an acute on the left of the box.
Youri Tielemans then stung the hands of Kepa with a late drive, and it was the Foxes who would have felt like they should have left the Bridge with three points, as both sides look for their first win of the season.