Olivier Giroud’s excellent volley had helped Frank Lampard’s side ease into a commanding position early in the second half but our grasp on the game slowly loosened as the hosts improved.

Daniel Podence levelled with a curling effort that deflected past Edouard Mendy before Pedro Neto snatched the win five minutes into time added on as the Blues were caught out pushing forward for a winner of their own.

After the game, Kante shared the feeling of frustration in the dressing room.

‘We’re all disappointed, especially to lose two games in a row,’ said the midfielder. ‘After the last game at Everton we all wanted to react well and have a good game but the first half was not so good.

‘We managed to score the first goal so to finish the game by losing hurts us and it’s a big disappointment.’

The Frenchman, an ever-present in the Premier League this term for Lampard’s men, felt our game management could have been better as we searched for a winning goal late on.

‘Even if we were not playing great, we were one goal ahead so we could have managed the game and kept the difference,’ he continued.

‘In the first half, they had five at the back and were defending very well so we weren’t able to have many chances. We were happy to score with our first shot on target but we didn’t manage the result well.

‘When they scored, we tried to come back but by trying to win the game we conceded many counter-attacks and they scored a late goal.’

Lampard conceded in the aftermath that tiredness, while not something he wished to use as an excuse for losing back-to-back league games, was nonetheless probably a factor and the six-day gap until our next encounter will prove to be a welcome one.

‘What has happened in these last two games is not what we want,’ added Kante. ‘We need to get back to winning ways quickly by resting and then being ready for West Ham.’