Frank Lampard has warned that Chelsea’s youthful squad may pose a significant challenge for new manager Enzo Maresca, following their 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The Blues, fresh off a commanding 6-2 victory over Wolves last weekend, were dealt a reality check with a 2-1 defeat to Servette in the Europa Conference League midweek.

The inconsistency continued against Crystal Palace, where Chelsea initially took the lead through Nicolas Jackson but failed to hold on as Eberechi Eze’s second-half strike levelled the score.

Lampard, speaking on Match of the Day 2, called for patience from the Chelsea faithful, noting that the team’s youth and inexperience are likely to lead to fluctuating performances.

“Inconsistency will be there – young players bring that,” the former Chelsea midfielder stated.

“If you look at moments in the game where Chelsea are on top, maybe they aren’t clinical enough, and then you can always feel the game can swing on them.

“You do wonder if that bit of experience through the spine of the team isn’t there, and you’ll have to wait for that, but there’s certainly a lot of talent in there.”

Despite his concerns, Lampard expressed optimism about Chelsea’s future under Maresca. He noted a positive shift in the club’s atmosphere, a stark contrast to the negativity that defined his second tenure as manager.

“In terms of where they are at, Maresca mentioned today that they aren’t the same team that won the Champions League, and he is right,” Lampard reflected.

“A lot of that was the environment and getting that right. I feel like they are on an upward curve, but there will be good days and bad days because of the squad.”

Looking ahead, Lampard believes Chelsea can be a formidable force if they continue to develop, particularly in their attacking play. “There is a lot of talent, and if they can keep improving, especially at the top end of the pitch, they can give teams a lot of problems,” he added.

Chelsea will aim to bounce back after the international break with an away fixture against Bournemouth, where they hope to regain momentum in their Premier League campaign.