Chelsea moved up to third in the Premier League table following their 2-1 win over Leicester City in the lunch-time kick-off at King Power Stadium.
A sumptuous first-half strike from Nicolas Jackson put Chelsea on course for the win. A comical block from Noni Madueke denied Chelsea team-mate a goal, before Enzo Fernández added a second in the 75th minute.
Leicester earned a late penalty from which Jordan Ayew converted what turned out to be little more than a consolation goal for Steve Cooper’s side.
03:03 PM GMT
Enzo Maresca speaks to TNT Sports
We were very good in the first half an hour. In football, things can change very quickly and we struggled a bit towards half-time. Then in the second half I think we were in control. It’s always tricky after the international break, and I was quite worried about that. But we competed, we played well in some moments and we won the game.
Enzo [Fernandez] showed how good he is. I’m trying to convince him and the other attacking players that they have to arrive in the box and if they do they will score goals.
The Leicester players know us and know how we play from last year. We changed our tactics today, with Joao Felix playing inside, to try to surprise them.
I will be thankful all my life to Leicester. The chairman, the players… they are top human beings.
02:54 PM GMT
A happy man
02:43 PM GMT
Watch: Palmer shot cleared off the line by teammate
If you haven’t Cole Palmer’s near miss, you need to click here right now.
02:37 PM GMT
Chelsea reaction
Nicolas Jackson
We won the game which is the most important thing. There are always a lot of games in November and December so it’s important we prepare for the next one.
We’re not looking at the teams above us in the table, we’re just trying to win every game. Then we’ll see how it goes.
Enzo Fernandez
I’m very happy for the team, that’s the most important thing. I’m happy for Nico to get an assist as well.
02:34 PM GMT
Colwill goes down
Levi Colwill went down at the final whistle and is still lying on his back receiving treatment. No idea what happened there.
He’s sitting up now but he looks uncomfortable, almost like he’s been winded.
02:31 PM GMT
FT: Leicester 1 Chelsea 2
Chelsea jump to third in the table after a victory that was comfortable then the scoreline suggests. Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez got the goals, although the most memorable incident came when Cole Palmer’s shot was cleared off the line by his teammate Noni Madueke.
Jordan Ayew’s injury-time penalty gave Leicester a small bit of hope but Chelsea ran down the clock without alarm.
02:29 PM GMT
90+7 min: Leicester 1 Chelsea 2
It’s now or never for Leicester.
02:28 PM GMT
Goal!
90+5 min: Leicester 1 Chelsea 2 (Ayew pen) Ayew scores despite a touch from Sanchez. Surely there isn’t time for an equaliser.
02:27 PM GMT
Penalty to Leicester!
90+4 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2 Lavia tripped De Cordova-Reid, who was running through on goal. A clear penalty and Lavia is booked.
02:26 PM GMT
90+3 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2
De Cordova-Reid is clipped in the area by Lavia. The referee is about to give a penalty when the flag goes up for offside – but it’s being checked by VAR.
02:24 PM GMT
90+1 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Chelsea substitution A very warm reception for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who comes to replace Nicolas Jackson. Who knows, he might be back here next season because he’s not getting a look-in at Chelsea.
02:24 PM GMT
90 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Five minutes of added time. Palmer tees up Nkunku, who spanks a shot into orbit from the edge of the area.
02:23 PM GMT
89 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2
This result moves Chelsea up to third, at least until 5pm. They’re only a point behind Manchester City in second.
02:18 PM GMT
85 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2
Chelsea substitution Jadon Sancho replaces Noni Madueke.
02:18 PM GMT
84 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2
Leicester have a big penalty appeal turned down when Mavididi chops past Fofana and goes over. It’s been cleared by VAR. I suspect that, as with the Ndidi yellow card, had the on-field decision gone the other way it would also have been upheld.
You can make a case for it being a foul and for Mavididi initiating the contact. My instinct is that it was a foul.
02:14 PM GMT
81 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2
Double substitution for Chelsea Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku replace Moises Caicedo and Joao Felix.
02:13 PM GMT
80 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2
Madueke telegraphs a curler that is comfortably saved by Hermansen. That was a pretty good chance.
02:13 PM GMT
79 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2
Double substitution for Leicester Patson Daka and Bobby De Cordova-Reid replace Jamie Vardy and Bilal El Khannouss.
02:12 PM GMT
78 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2
Faes is booked for fouling the excellent Nicolas Jackson.
02:11 PM GMT
77 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Enzo Fernandez, brought into the side today in place of Romeo Lavia, has made one and scored one. He’s an interesting option higher up the field because he has so much quality on the ball.
02:09 PM GMT
Goal!
75 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 2 (Fernandez) Game over. Cucurella curls a cross to the far post, where Jackson bullies Okoli to win the header. Hermansen makes a smart reaction save but the ball loops up in front goal. Fernandez, who was backing up the play, heads into the empty net. It’s his first goal for Chelsea.
02:07 PM GMT
74 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Jackson can’t quite control a fierce through pass from Palmer. Had he done so he’d have been in on goal. Palmer had to hit it with pace to get it past the defence but that made it very difficult for Jackson to kill.
02:05 PM GMT
71 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Double substitution for Leicester Stephy Mavididi and Jordan Ayew replace Kasey McAteer and Wilfred Ndidi. That means a slightly more attacking system, probably 4-2-3-1.
02:01 PM GMT
68 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Leicester manager Steve Cooper is booked for dissent.
02:01 PM GMT
67 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
It was an astonishing miss that Cole Palmer will not to want watch again.
Everything Palmer touches turns to gold in the jersey of Chelsea, yet this was a moment which he will find difficulty believing it actually happened.
With the visitors hunting a second goal, Joao Felix broke from the halfway line and threaded a pass through to the Chelsea No. 10.
Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen was caught in no man’s land, leaving Palmer with the simple task of claiming his eighth Chelsea goal of the season.
Yet from merely a yard out he was stunned to see his goalbound shot blocked by a spot of heroic defending.
The only problem was that this excellent goalline block was made by his own team-mate Noni Madueke.
Both Palmer and Madueke could barely believe it, and Leicester’s defence all breathed a huge sigh of relief.
02:00 PM GMT
66 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Sanchez is booked for timewasting.
01:58 PM GMT
64 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Enzo Fernandez sweeps a first-time shot from the edge of the area that goes a few yards wide of the far post. Hermansen had it covered.
For now Chelsea are keeping at Leicester at arm’s length.
01:53 PM GMT
Watch: Palmer denied by his own teammate
01:52 PM GMT
58 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
They didn’t get the second goal but Chelsea are starting to control the game as they did for must of the first half. Leicester need to stay in the game and hope something daft happens in the last quarter.
01:49 PM GMT
54 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Madueke clears off the line from Palmer! Extraordinary stuff. Jackson’s curling shot was pushed away by the diving Hermansen, who was out of the game as Palmer ran onto the loose ball four yards out. Madueke, on the line, tried to jump out of the way but Palmer’s shot hit his boot and ricocheted to safety.
Both players smile at the absurdity of it all. You might argue it was a poor finish from Palmer – had he slid it along the ground he would probably have scored. That said, there was a Leicester defender sliding towards goal as well so Palmer probably felt he had the lift the shot to beat him.
01:46 PM GMT
53 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Madueke plays in the underlapping Fernandez, whose deflected cross is headed behind for a corner. Those two have linked really well today.
Palmer’s corner is headed away by Skipp.
01:42 PM GMT
49 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
A decent start to the second half for Leicester, with a even more share of possession than in the first half. It feels like Chelsea will need a second goal here.
01:41 PM GMT
Joe Cole on Wilfred Ndidi’s tackle
01:39 PM GMT
46 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
The second half is under way. It’s a disgusting afternoon at the King Power, wet and very windy.
01:23 PM GMT
Half-time verdict
Chelsea were dominant for much of this first half, taking a deserved lead, but the final ten minutes will provide Steve Cooper with some encouragement.
After appearing outplayed, Leicester have responded with Kasey McAteer and Wilfred Ndidi both coming close to an equaliser.
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez does appear vulnerable to pressure and that is maybe an area Leicester will look to exploit in the second half.
You still get the feeling that Chelsea could easily step it up a gear, though.
01:22 PM GMT
HT: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Chelsea lead through Nicolas Jackson’s expertly taken goal. They were in total control for the first 35 minutes, but Leicester came back into it and came close to equalising on a couple of occasions.
Chelsea could easily be a man up as well as a goal up. Wilfred Ndidi was booked for a very poor tackle on Cole Palmer that many felt deserved a harsher punishment.
01:18 PM GMT
45 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Madueke misses a difficult volleyed chance on the break for Chelsea. It’s a very lively end to the half, and we’ll have four added minutes.
01:14 PM GMT
42 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Ndidi misses a good chance! Vardy finds the overlapping Kristiansen, whose precise cutback is screwed wide from 10 yards by Ndidi. That’s Leicester’s best opportunity so far.
01:13 PM GMT
41 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Sanchez plays a risky short pass to Caicedo, who is haaassed by Soumare and concedes a corner. Caicedo, who thought he was fouled, is booked for dissent.
Nothing comes of the corner but this is Leicester’s best spell.
01:12 PM GMT
Should Ndidi have been sent off?
01:11 PM GMT
39 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Just wide from McAteer! Leicester almost equalise out of nothing. Skipp drives through midfield and finds McAteer in a bit of space to his right. He cuts inside Cucurella on the edge of the area and whips an excellent effort that beats Sanchez and goes just past the far post.
01:08 PM GMT
37 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Jamie Vardy has had only touch in the Chelsea half, which tells the story of a painfully one-sided game.
01:06 PM GMT
35 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
There have been plenty of groans, plus the occasional boo, from the Leicester fans. They are really missing Buonanotte and Fatawu.
01:05 PM GMT
32 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Madueke has a goal disallowed! Palmer found Cucurella, who was fractionally offside, with a superb pass inside the right-back Justin. Cucurella guided the ball infield for Madueke to beat Hermansen with a low first-time shot and then the flag went up.
A VAR check confirms the decision.
01:02 PM GMT
31 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Skipp completes a hat-trick of Leicester midfielders on a yellow card after a lunging tackle on Enzo Fernandez.
01:01 PM GMT
29 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Soumare clatters Joao Felix and the referee plays a good advantage. Madueke cuts inside on the edge of the area and curls a good shot that is pushed away by the diving Hermansen.
The referee goes back to book Soumare. That wasn’t as bad as Ndidi’s challenge but it was still very poor.
12:59 PM GMT
27 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Wilfred Ndidi is incredibly fortunate to stay on the field here, after a dreadful challenge on Cole Palmer.
Ndidi raked his studs down the back of Palmer’s Achilles and was only given a booking, when it could easily have been a red.
Chelsea’s players were furious but a VAR review also backed referee Andy Madley’s on-field decision.
12:56 PM GMT
24 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Palmer plays a great ball to the underlapping Cucurella, whose early cross is only half cleared by Leicester. Caicedo runs onto the loose ball but shoots miles wide from the edge of the area.
This is so one-sided.
12:55 PM GMT
23 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
The yellow card for Ndidi has been cleared by VAR. It wasn’t a good tackle, studs down Palmer’s achilles. I suspect had it been a red card that would also have been upheld.
12:54 PM GMT
22 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Ndidi is booked for a poor tackle on Palmer. The Chelsea players want a red, and they might get one.
12:52 PM GMT
20 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Comically bad defending from Wout Faes there, leading to Chelsea’s opening goal.
The Belgium international somehow failed to clear the danger four times and Nicolas Jackson took advantage with a clinically taken finish.
It’s already looking like an uphill task for an injury depleted Leicester.
12:50 PM GMT
18 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1
Madueke plays a slick one-two with Fernandez before running out of room in the area. Chelsea are in total control at the moment.
12:48 PM GMT
Goal!
15 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 1 (Jackson) Nicolas Jackson’s excellent goalscoring season continues. Faes couldn’t clear a bouncing ball under pressure from Jackson and eventually lobbed the ball infield towards Fernandez. He guided it back outside towards Jackson, who touched the ball past Okoli and flicked it emphatically past Hermansen. That’s a superbly taken goal.
12:46 PM GMT
14 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Palmer’s corner is half cleared by the head of Faes. The ball bounces towards Joao Felix, who rakes a shot well wide from 15 yards. He tried to hit it with the outside of the right foot, rather than going with the left as most would have done, but mistimed the connection.
Moments later another Palmer corner is headed away to Felix, this time in the D. He watches the dropping ball carefully and swishes a volley over the bar; that was a much sweeter strike.
12:44 PM GMT
13 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea have had 77 per cent of the possession so far. Leicester will point out that Mads Hermansen hasn’t yet had a shot to save.
12:42 PM GMT
11 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Leicester substitution Oliver Skipp comes on for Winks in midfield.
12:42 PM GMT
10 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Harry Winks has injured his groin while making a good sliding tackle on Enzo Fernandez. It looks like he won’t be able to continue.
12:39 PM GMT
8 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Madueke wins the first corner for Chelsea, who have barely been in their own half in the first eight minutes. It’s taken short to Palmer, whose fierce cross-shot is blocked.
12:37 PM GMT
The main man
12:36 PM GMT
4 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Statto alert! Jurgen Klopp famously hated these 12.30pm kick-off times and Leicester City probably know what he means.
You have to wind the clock back to Feb 13 2021 for the last Leicester win in the Premier League when games are televised at this time.
That was a 3-1 win over Liverpool, during the Covid-19 era when fans weren’t present at the stadium.
Can Leicester break the TV curse today?
12:35 PM GMT
3 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea have started well. Madueke frees the overlapping Fernandez, whose chipped cross is just too high for Joao Felix at the far post.
12:34 PM GMT
3 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Joao Felix shuffles away from Faes on the edge of the area and hits an early cross that is well claimed by the diving Hermansen.
12:32 PM GMT
1 min: Leicester 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea, in their white change strip, kick off from right to left as we watch.
12:31 PM GMT
A chilly day in the Midlands
12:26 PM GMT
A reminder of the teams
Leicester (4-3-3) Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Okoli, Kristiansen; Soumare, Winks, Ndidi; El Khannous, Vardy, McAteer.
Subs: Ward, Coady, Mavididi, De Cordova-Reid, Choudhury, Ayew, Daka, Skipp, Thomas.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Sanchez; Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Joao Felix; Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Bettinelli, Adarabioyo, Mudryk, Nkunku, Sancho, Dewsbury-Hall, Veiga, Lavia.
Referee Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)
12:26 PM GMT
Today’s Premier League fixtures
There some cracking games today, culminating in a potential humdinger between Manchester City and Spurs. These are the games, all 3pm kick-offs unless stated.
Leicester City v Chelsea (12.30pm)
Arsenal v Nottm Forest
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v Brighton
Everton v Brentford
Fulham v Wolves
Man City v Spurs (5.30pm)
12:16 PM GMT
Enzo Maresca’s thoughts
I said many times the Conference League players would start in the Premier League and today we have changed three or four players.
Every game is tough. Leicester are a good team who are doing well. We will try to win the game.
12:13 PM GMT
Slow start to London life for Dewsbury-Hall
This promises to be an emotional afternoon for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
The £30m Chelsea midfielder is a Leicester academy graduate and played a key role in the club’s promotion last season.
With fears over breaching the Premier League’s financial controls, Leicester had no option but to listen to offers over the summer.
It was Enzo Maresca who signed him, and it has been a slow start to life at Stamford Bridge so far for ‘KDH’. He’s on the bench today against his old club.
12:01 PM GMT
A difficult week for Leicester
Steve Cooper is still waiting for lift-off at Leicester and it’s been a difficult week with winger Abdul Fatawu ruled out for the season with a serious knee injury.
Ricardo Pereira is also out for four months injured while there are concerns over the fitness of Jordan Ayew and Stephy Mavididi today, who both start on the bench.
A win over Chelsea – and Enzo Maresca – would be a hugely positive step forward in the season.
11:51 AM GMT
Three changes for Chelsea
Leicester’s last game before the international break was a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford. They’ve made three changes: Caleb Okoli, Bilal El Khannouss, Kasey McAteer and the fit-again Jamie Vardy come in for Jannik Vestergaard, Abdul Fatawu, Facundo Buonanotte and Jordan Ayew. Vestergaard and Fatawu are injured, Buonanotte is suspended.
Chelsea also make three changes: Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernandez and Joao Felix come in for Malo Gusto (unwell), Romeo Lavia and Pedro Neto (minor injury)
11:45 AM GMT
What reception will Maresca be given?
Enzo Maresca makes his first return to Leicester today after helping guide the club back to the Premier League.
Though his departure to Chelsea guaranteed Leicester a cool £10m, due to a release clause, there was huge frustration that he walked out.
Leicester had felt convinced Maresca was committed following talks after the promotion season so were angered that he – in their eyes – ‘jumped ship’ at the first opportunity.
There is not really much recognition of his achievements in the programme column from Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, either.
Will be interesting to see what reception he gets.
11:44 AM GMT
Team news
Leicester (4-3-3) Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Okoli, Kristiansen; Soumare, Winks, Ndidi; El Khannous, Vardy, McAteer.
Subs: Ward, Coady, Mavididi, De Cordova-Reid, Choudhury, Ayew, Daka, Skipp, Thomas.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Sanchez; Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Joao Felix; Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Bettinelli, Adarabioyo, Mudryk, Nkunku, Sancho, Dewsbury-Hall, Veiga, Lavia.
Referee Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)
11:43 AM GMT
Good morning
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Leicester v Chelsea at the King Power Stadium. It’s Enzo Maresca’s return to the club he managed last season, and he’ll be reunited with the players who came to his house at 2am in the morning to celebrate promotion.
“The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home,” said Maresca. “All the team. This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them.
“I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.”
“They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.”
Maresca was full of praise for Jamie Vardy, who is still scoring goals in the Premier League at the age of 37. “People don’t realise how good he is. I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.”
Vardy will hope to prove as much today.
Kick off 12.30pm
