CHELSEA continued their revival as they recorded a third consecutive victory on Saturday.
The Blues secured the three points with a 3-1 win at Leicester City.
PAGraham Potter’s Chelsea continued their resurgence with a victory at Leicester[/caption]
Ben Chilwell broke the deadlock against his old team before Patson Daka rifled home an equaliser.
But Kai Havertz pounced seconds before the break and then Mateo Kovacic sealed the win after the restart.
Here is how each member of Graham Potter’s team performed at the King Power:
Kepa Arrizabalaga – 7
Rode his luck when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half effort smashed off his crossbar. Might feel he left a little too much room for Patson Daka to beat him from 20 yards. But made up for it with important saves to deny Maddison and Iheanacho.
Wesley Fofana – 7
The ex-Fox was booed every time he touched the ball but he actually seemed to relish his role as pantomime villain for the day. Denied a goal on his return to the King Power when Danny Ward touched over his powerful header from a Chilwell corner.
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Kalidou Koulibaly – 8
Solid at the back, lethal in attack! The big defender will dine out for a while for his part in Chelsea’s opener when he produced a neat stepover to leave Dewsbury-Hall for dead before crossing to provide the assist for Chilwell’s opener.
Marc Cucarella – 7
Unfortunate to pick up a booking when Dewsbury-Hall lost his footing and crashed into him. Stuck to his task against a mobile Foxes front three but remains a work-in-progress as a left-sided centre-back.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 7
Revelled in the freedom to surge forward and attack down Chelsea’s right. Thought he had an assist when he accepted Mudryk’s ball out wide and picked out Felix to finish from close range until VAR spotted the forward had strayed offside.
Enzo Fernandez – 7
Showed the confidence and vision of a World Cup winner with his cheeky flip over the Leicester defence to spring the Foxes’ offside trap to set up Kai Havertz’s goal on the stroke of half-time. Not so happy when required to track James Maddison before Potter changed things at half-time.
Mateo Kovacic – 8
Topped off a productive performance in the Chelsea engine room with the volleyed finish which finally killed off Leicester. Used the ball well and held Chelsea together when Leicester threatened to expose the Blues defence before the break.
Kai Havertz – 8
Produced a sublime finish to flick a dropping ball over Danny Ward to pull-off one of the toughest finishes in football which gave Chelsea a crucial half-time lead.
Ended on a high when he produced the cross which led to Kovacevic’s clincher.
Left the King Power with a souvenir – Daniel Amartey’s stud marks on his abdomen after the defender caught him high following a tackle.
Ben Chilwell – 8
The former Fox made a triumphant return to the King Power as he faced his former Leicester supporters. Opened the scoring with a superb left foot volley after starting the move with his own corner.
His deliveries were a constant menace for his old club – how Brendan Rodgers could have used him here!
Joao Felix – 7
Had an eventful half before being hooked at half-time in a tactical shake-up. Was unfortunate to beat Ward with a cute flick, only to see the ball bounce to safety off the far post. Then had a ‘goal’ chalked off for offside. But he was culpable when caught in possession at Leicester’s equaliser to make it a frustrating day for the Portuguese forward.
AFPMykhailo Mudryk ran Leicester’s defenders ragged[/caption]
Mykhailo Mudryk – 8
Ran the Foxes defence ragged playing as a roving number 9. Leicester’s defence didn’t know whether to drop deep to pick him up when he went short. At other times his blistering pace left them for dead as he exploited any space behind. Thought he had set up a Chelsea goal only for Felix to stray offside.
He suffered a similar fate when narrowly offside himself, after sprinting half the pitch to beat Ward. Had last laugh when his header set up Kovacic’s clincher.
Substitutes
Conor Gallagher (for Felix 46) – 7
Turned the tide for his team when he was introduced. Suddenly James Maddison had less room to play in. Made an important goalline clearance to deny Souttar an equaliser and came close to scoring himself but Ward saved.
Trevoh Chalobah (for Loftus-Cheek 73) – 6
Kept Chelsea ticking over nicely.
Christian Pulisic (for Chilwell 73) – 6
Produced some nice touches during his short time on the pitch.
Carney Chukwuemeka (for Mudryk 82) – 6
Wout Faes was red-carded for a late foul on the Chelsea sub who ran at him at pace before being downed.