Chelsea eased to a 3-0 away win over Leicester City as Thomas Tuchel’s team powered on at the top of the Premier League table on Saturday afternoon.
Brendan Rodgers’ home side had twice defeated Tuchel’s men in 2021 already, but the Blues raced into a two-goal lead this time as Antonio Rudiger and N’Golo Kante struck in the first half to give Chelsea a room for relief at halftime.
The visitors remained confidently dominant after the break and added a well-deserved third through substitute Christian Pulisic against the hapless Foxes, who did not record a single shot until the 58th minute in front of their home fans.
Chelsea, who collected a fourth successive away league win without conceding for the first time since December 2008, at least briefly moved six points clear at the summit, although Liverpool’s win against Arsenal reduced that gap to four later in the evening.
No Premier League team had scored more headed goals than Chelsea this season (four), while no side had conceded more than Leicester (four) ahead of this game, and Rudiger’s 14th-minute opener continued the trend against both sides.
Ben Chilwell, who hit the crossbar after just three minutes against his former club, delivered to the near post where Rudiger deftly flicked into the top-left corner.
Ademola Lookman thought he had equalized but was denied by the offside flag before former Leicester man N’golo Kante drove forward and arrowed past Kasper Schmeichel in the 28th minute to double Chelsea’s advantage.
Chelsea players Reece James (right) and N’golo Kante celebrates after the latter scored the second against Leicester City on Saturday, 20 November at the King Power Stadium. | PHOTO: Getty Images |
Schmeichel produced a magnificent save after the interval to deny Chilwell and, not to be outdone by his opposite number, Edouard Mendy responded with a similarly brilliant stop against Daniel Amartey.
Substitutes Hakim Ziyech and Pulisic then combined immediately after coming on, but the latter could only poke wide.
However, the same combination proved fruitful when Ziyech found the United States international captain, who prodded through Schmeichel’s legs from close range after 71 minutes to give Chelsea the third at King Power.
Pulisic and Reece James saw late strikes ruled out for offside as Chelsea cruised to victory.
Chelsea winger Cristian Pulisic celebrates after scoring the third against Leicester City on Saturday, 20 November 2021 at the King Power. | PHOTO; Getty Images |
Chelsea offered Leicester, who have won just three of their last 19 top-flight meetings with the Blues, no chance as they maintained their unbeaten start in away league games this campaign.
Tuchel’s side has triumphed in their last four Premier League games on the road by an aggregate score of 10-0 and this win gave them a six-point cushion over West Ham and Manchester City, ahead of their weekend games.
Kante had scored just two goals across a span of 51 Premier League games, but since then he has got as many in just six league outings after scoring against his former club and against Tottenham back in September.
Only Chris Wood (four) and Emile Heskey (three) have netted more times against Rodgers’ side as a former Leicester player than Kante (two).
Rodgers, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United recently, can usually rely on Jamie Vardy, with England forward just two goals away from equalling Ian Wright’s Premier League record of 93 goals scored after turning 30.
However, Vardy has only scored in one of his 10 Premier League games against sides at the top of the table – the forward managing just one shot against Chelsea as he headed over from a presentable opportunity in the second half.
Chelsea host troubled Manchester United next Sunday at Stamford Bridge after Tuesday’s Champions League home clash against Juventus in what is a crucial and a must-win match for the Blues. Leicester hosts Legia Warsaw at the King Power Stadium on Thursday in the Europa League before Watford visits there three days later in a Premier League clash.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login