Leicester City 2, Chelsea 0 – Foxes triumph over sorry Blues

Leicester City beat Chelsea as Lampard's Blues slip to the eighth.

Leicester City 2, Chelsea 0 – King Power stadium – Tuesday, 19th January 2021

Brendan Rodgers' Foxes overcame Chelsea 2-0 to momentarily move to the top of the Premier League table and register their second consecutive win at the King Power stadium on Tuesday night. The hosts took control of the game through Wilfred Ndidi who put them ahead in as early as the 6th minute of play. Chelsea were caught unawares by a short-corner and an ensuing mis-hit by Harvey Barnes that fell to Ndidi at the edge of the box which the Nigerian fired in off the inside of the post from 20 yards.

Chelsea barely threatened the rival goal even as they had a penalty turned down in the first half after Christian Pulisic was brought down from a Jonny Evans challenge but the VAR adjudged the infringement to have taken place just outside the box. That was all the Blues did before the break as they were down to one more goal in the 41st minute when a long ball from Marc Albrighton looped over three defenders to find James Maddison who swept in a finish from a half-volley past a hapless keeper Edouard Mendy.

The visitors rarely threatened Kasper Schmeichel after the break and it were the Foxes who created the better chances with an unmarked James Justin heading wide and Mendy being forced into a save from Youri Tielemans. Leicester were inches from making it three-zero when Maddison's thunderous effort from 20 yards clipped the top of the crossbar. Chelsea thought they found one late in the game when substitute Timo Werner converted Hakim Ziyech's free-kick only to be judged offside by the linesman.

Leicester with the home win finished a point ahead of Manchester United having played a game more while Chelsea dropped to the eighth, five points off the Top Four. It was night to forget for Lampard as his troops looked toothless in attack with prized scorer Timo Werner going through a dozen matches without scoring and the £71m summer signing Kai Havertz barely visible. The defence was soft and were caught sleeping at Albrighton's routine pass to Maddison that allowed in a goal. Lampard's tenure at Stamford Bridge now looks to be on the line as even his reputation as a Chelsea great may not be enough to spare him from Roman Abramovich's wrath.

Leicester starting XI in 4-1-4-1 formation: Schmeichel (goal), Castagne, Fofana, Evans, Justin, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy.

Subs: Perez, Ricardo, Iheanacho.

Chelsea starting XI in 4-2-3-1 formation: Mendy (goal), James, Rudiger, Silva, Chilwell, Kovacic, Hudson-Odoi, Mount, Havertz, Pulisic, Abraham.

Subs: Werner, Ziyech.

Man of the match: James Maddison.

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