Ndidi, Iheanacho, Lookman in Pains as Chelsea Crush Leicester

PREMIER LEAGUE

Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Ademola Lookman were on the losing side with Leicester City yesterday as Chelsea hammered the Foxes 3-0 at the Kings Power Stadium.

The defeat sent Leicester down the rung five steps to 12th position while the Blues consolidated on top of the English Premier League.

Antonio Rudiger continued his habit of scoring against the Foxes with a glancing, looping header from a corner whipped in by ex-Leicester wing-back Ben Chilwell.

Another former Foxes favourite, midfielder N’Golo Kante, doubled the lead by firing home from the edge of the box after being allowed to roam 30 yards virtually unchallenged.

Chelsea could have been out of sight by half-time, Chilwell grazing the bar when he should have scored from an early one-on-one with Kasper Schmeichel, who later denied Kante with his legs.

Leicester offered more as an attacking force after the break as Edouard Mendy made a fabulous save to tip away a fierce long-range shot from Daniel Amartey and Jamie Vardy headed over from close range.

But Chelsea, who stretched their lead at the top to four points on 29 points could have had more goals as Schmeichel saved smartly from Chilwell and Callum Hudson-Odoi curled inches over.

The Blues had also three goals ruled out for offside, the assistant’s flag foiling Hudson-Odoi, Reece James and substitute Christian Pulisic, who slotted home Chelsea’s third from Hakim Ziyech’s cross.

The Blues’ last trip to King Power Stadium inadvertently led to the beginning of the Thomas Tuchel era, a limp 2-0 defeat in January proving to be predecessor Frank Lampard’s final game, and this display was further evidence, if needed, of how much they have progressed since.

It was Chelsea’s fourth win in five Premier League away games, and they are yet to concede from open play – the only points they have dropped coming in a 1-1 draw at Liverpool when the Blues played the entire second half a man light.

Just as impressive as their dazzling defensive record – just four goals conceded in 12 games – has been their ability to conjure goals despite injuries to Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Pulisic.