With Frank Lampard’s side set to use a sharp-looking new black third kit for the 2019/20 campaign, we take a fond look back at five of the Blues’ biggest matches in the darkest of colours over the past two decades.

September 2002 – Blackburn Rovers

In Chelsea’s first-ever game in a black kit, a brace by Gianfranco Zola helped us come from behind twice to beat Blackburn Rovers in a Premier League match at Ewood Park.

The hosts led 2-1 at half-time but the Italian headed in from close range early in the second half to level the score before producing a stunning curler 10 minutes from time to complete a 3-2 win.

Chelsea used the kit for two seasons from 2002 to 2004, winning seven of the nine games in which it was used including a 3-0 victory over Manchester City on our last visit to Maine Road.

August 2005 – Wigan Athletic

Our next black kit was also used for two seasons and featured in our opening game of the 2005/06 season when we travelled to newly promoted Wigan Athletic as defending champions.

Things didn’t quite go according to plan as the Latics frustrated the Blues for 92 scoreless minutes until Hernan Crespo summoned a moment of magic deep into stoppage time, controlling the ball on the edge of the Wigan box before unleashing a left-footed thunderbolt which found the top corner.

Chelsea won seven of the 11 matches we played in that kit and lifted the Premier League trophy in both campaigns in which it was worn.

October 2006 - Reading

Our third kit during the 2006/07 campaign was an elegant black number with silver pinstripes which featured in four Premier League victories including a hard-fought 1-0 win at Reading.

Ivar Ingimarsson’s own goal settled a stormy game best remembered for the loss of two of our goalkeepers as Petr Cech suffered a head injury following a Stephen Hunt challenge and Carlo Cudicini was knocked unconscious after feeling the full force of an aerial challenge by Ibrahima Sonko.

John Terry went in goal for the final few minutes of a game which ended with both sides reduced to 10 men after John Mikel Obi and Reading substitute Andre Bikey were sent off.

May 2013 – Aston Villa

Our third kit in 2012/13, which featured a striking design described as a combination of ‘flaming sun yellow and black’, was used in our opening match of the season at Wigan when Eden Hazard marked his Premier League debut by setting up a goal for Branislav Ivanovic and earning a penalty converted by Frank Lampard in a 2-0 win.

However, it is best remembered for the last game in which it was used at Villa Park on 11 May 2013 when Lampard made his mark in the Chelsea history books by matching and then breaking Bobby Tambling’s long-standing club record of 202 goals with a brace in our historic 2-1 victory over Aston Villa.

May 2017 – West Bromwich Albion

Chelsea’s away kit in the 2016/17 was a bold design which featured black and grey horizontal stripes and fluorescent yellow detailing.

While it may not have been to everyone’s liking, it was a big hit with Chelsea fans and proved a lucky kit as we went unbeaten in the seven games in which it was used, winning six of them.

The most memorable took place at the Hawthorns on 12 May 2017 when Michy Batshuayi turned in a Cesar Azpilicueta cross eight minutes from time to secure a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion which sealed our sixth English league title.