Chelsea survived a late rally from Leicester City to secure a 2-1 victory in a tense Premier League match at King Power Stadium on Saturday, November 23, 2024.
The win, which came after two previous draws, lifted Chelsea to 22 points, one behind second-placed Manchester City and three ahead of fourth-placed Arsenal.
The match marked Enzo Maresca’s return to his former club, Leicester, where he had managed to return the team to the Premier League last season.
Chelsea took control from the start, dominating possession on a rainy afternoon in the Midlands.
Their early pressure paid off when Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Jackson pounced on a loose ball after Leicester’s Wout Faes failed to clear, and he coolly slotted it home with the outside of his right foot for his seventh league goal of the season.
Despite their dominance, Chelsea failed to build on their lead in the first half, with Joao Felix missing two chances, one fired wide in the 13th minute and another volleyed over shortly after.
Leicester began to grow into the game and had a couple of promising chances, with Kasey McAteer, on his full Premier League debut, cutting inside but firing just wide of the far post. Wilfred Ndidi also had a chance to equalize but his shot went wide just before halftime.
In the second half, Chelsea squandered a chance to extend their lead when Noni Madueke blocked a goal-bound shot from Cole Palmer on the goalline after Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen saved Jackson’s initial attempt. The moment, though comical, was a missed opportunity for Chelsea to make the game more comfortable.
However, Chelsea did find the net again in the 75th minute, when Enzo Fernandez scored with a header after Hermansen had initially saved Jackson’s header. The Blues appeared to have the game wrapped up, but Leicester managed to pull one back in the dying moments of stoppage time.
Substitute Jordan Ayew converted a penalty after Bobby De Cordova-Reid was brought down inside the box. It was a tense final few minutes, but Chelsea held on to secure the win.
The victory was a crucial one for Chelsea as they continue their pursuit of the top spots in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Leicester, who won the Premier League in 2016, remain just three points above the relegation zone.
The defeat added to manager Steve Cooper’s woes, with the team still struggling to find consistency.
Additionally, Leicester suffered another setback earlier in the week when winger Abdul Fatawu was ruled out for the rest of the season due to a serious knee injury.
The result keeps Chelsea’s momentum going after a shaky start to the season, and it also serves as a boost for Maresca, who marked his return to Leicester with a hard-fought victory.
