Chelsea celebrate N'Golo Kante's goal against Leicester
Chelsea celebrate N'Golo Kante's goal against Leicester

Leicester 0-3 Chelsea: Thomas Tuchel's side go six points clear at the top of the Premier League


Premier League leaders Chelsea got back to winning ways with a convincing 3-0 demolition of Leicester on Saturday.

First-half goals from Antonio Rudiger and N’Golo Kante put Thomas Tuchel’s men on course at the King Power Stadium before Christian Pulisic added a third after the break.

The European champions could have had more with Ben Chilwell hitting the crossbar and the offside flag ruling out three further strikes in the second half.

It was an emphatic response from the London side, who have had two weeks to dwell on their disappointing draw with struggling Burnley last time out. It also landed a winner for Sporting Life Members Extra readers, with Jake Pearson tipping up over 2.5 goals at 11/10.

For Leicester the frustration goes on, with Brendan Rogers’ side still lacking the sparkle that brought them two fifth-place finishes and an FA Cup triumph in the past two seasons.

Chelsea, with Mason Mount back in the starting line-up for the first time in a month after recovering from dental surgery, simply proved too strong for their hosts.

The visitors were firm at the back and slick and incisive in attack. Leicester showed plenty of attacking intent themselves but lacked a cutting edge and were opened up too easily.

There was an early warning of this as former Leicester man Chilwell almost silenced the home fans booing him when he struck the goal frame in the opening minutes.

The visitors won a free-kick near the centre circle and Jorginho reacted quickly to lob a ball over the top for the England full-back, who raced in on goal but shot against the bar.

It could even have been worse for Leicester as they conceded free-kicks on the edge of the area after poor fouls on Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz but neither came to anything.

Rodgers tried to inject some life into his side at the break by introducing James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Yet it was Chelsea who started the second half the stronger and Chilwell forced a good save from Schmeichel with a snap-shot from Hudson-Odoi’s cutback.

The hosts did have a good spell with Daniel Amartey forcing Edouard Mendy to save with a fierce shot from distance and Vardy heading over.

But Chelsea always looked the more dangerous and they put the result beyond doubt after 71 minutes when Hakim Ziyech teed up fellow substitute Pulisic to slide in a finish from close range.

Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic and James all put the ball in the net again but Leicester, struggling with a now relentless Chelsea, were spared by the flag on each occasion.


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