That’s all from me! If you’re looking for more Premier League action then head over to Simon Burnton’s clockwatch. He’ll be bringing you live updates from this afternoon’s 3pm fixtures.
Thanks for joining me, have a great day!
Here’s Jacob Steinberg’s report from the King Power Stadium.
That result puts Chelsea within one point of second-placed Manchester City. Meanwhile, Leicester are now at risk of dropping closer to the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, the back-and-forth between Mary and Joe continues. If you’ve just joined us you may have to scroll down for context…
“Good Morning Joe. You are 100% correct that I want everyone in the relegation zone to lose because Everton needs help to stay up. But i don’t want to spend 2 hours watching anything that resembles a France v San Marino fixture, life is too short.”
Gary has not pulled any punches with his assessment of Leicester…
“Are there really 3 teams in the Premier League worse than Leicester City?”
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Colwill is back on his feet but walking gingerly. Enzo Maresca will be hoping it’s nothing serious.
Despite the win, there is some concern for the visitors with Colwill down injured on the pitch. He is currently receiving treatment from physios.
Full-time: Leicester 1-2 Chelsea
After some late drama, Chelsea walk away with all three points.
90+8 min: We’re into the eighth minute of added time. I don’t think anyone knows how long is left at this point…
90+6 min: Amid the penalty chaos, Lavia was booked for his challenge on De Cordova-Reid.
GOAL! Leicester 1-2 Chelsea (Ayew, 90+5)
Ayew converts the spot-kick! Sánchez gets a hand to it but it’s not enough to keep the ball out.
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PENALTY! Leicester
It’s given after a VAR check!
90+4 min: Leicester appeal for another penalty – and this one SHOULD be given.
De Cordova-Reid is brought down in the box by Lavia while running through on goal, but the linesman has his flag up. It will be checked…
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90+1min: Former Leicester midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall receives a standing ovation as he makes his way onto the King Power turf after replacing goalscorer Jackson.
Five minutes have been added on…
88 min: Chelsea are pretty much playing keep-ball to see out the match. Leicester’s energy has significantly dropped. The hosts look like they have given up. That penalty shout certainly hasn’t helped.
Samuel has been in touch with his view on that penalty incident…
“Outside the box that challenge is given as a foul 100% of the time. Absolutely no point in having VAR if it can’t correct decisions like that.”
85 min: Another substitution for Chelsea as Jadon Sancho replaces Madueke on the wing.
84 min: After a brief check, no penalty is given. To say the Leicester fans are furious would be an understatement.
83 min: Huge penalty shout for Leicester! Mavididi goes to ground in the box following a challenge from Fofana. The referee dismisses it, but VAR will have a look…
80 min: Chelsea are next to make some changes, with Christopher Nkunku replacing Felix and Caicedo making way for Roméo Lavia.
79 min: Another double substitution for Leicester as Patson Daka replaces Vardy and El Khannouss makes way for Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
78 min: Faes is booked for a clumsy challenge on Jackson.
76 min: The ball is sent over to Jackson in the box, who is barely challenged by Okoli as he goes for goal with a header. Hermansen manages to keep it out initially but Fernandez is there to follow up with another header from two yards out.
Poor defending from Leicester, but the visitors will be thrilled!
GOAL! Leicester 0-2 Chelsea (Enzo Fernandez, 75)
And just like that, Fernandez may have just secured all three points for Chelsea!
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73 min: Enzo Maresca is looking on nervously from the sidelines. Around 17 minutes left to play now and this match could still go either way.
70 min: Leicester make two changes as McAteer, who earned his first Premier League start this afternoon, is replaced by Stephy Mavididi. Ndidi also makes way for Jordan Ayew as the hosts look for an equaliser.
67 min: Leicester manager Steve Cooper is also shown a yellow card for his complaints after Cucurella wins a free-kick on the left following a challenge from McAteer.
65 min: Sánchez is the next man in the book. He is shown a yellow card for time wasting.
62 min: The hosts look to break forward as the ball is played through to Skipp on the right. The midfielder leaves it for Ndidi as he is in an offside position but both players are deemed off by the linesman.
59 min: Leicester have upped the energy and intensity this half. A significant improvement on the first 45 minutes. However, Chelsea still look the better team.
56 min: Palmer and Madueke appeared to take that mishap very well. Both laughed it off with no arguments.
Chelsea will just be hoping that missed chance doesn’t come back to bite them.
54 min: OH. MY. WORD. Madueke has just BLOCKED his own team-mate from scoring!
Caicedo goes for goal with a low-driven strike which is parried to the feet of Palmer by Hermansen. The midfielder looks to pass it into the bottom-right corner from around three yards out, but Madueke cuts in front at just the wrong moment and the shot deflects off his leg before rolling behind for a goal kick!
Incredibly unlucky for both Chelsea players. Very fortunate for Leicester. You don’t see that every day!
52 min: Madueke plays a no-look pass through to Fernandez inside the box. The midfielder goes for the cross but it is cut out by Okoli. Chelsea have a corner and Palmer steps up to take it, but Leicester can clear the danger.
50 min: Chelsea look to play forward as Palmer sends the ball through to Madueke in the box. The winger looks to cut inside but instead runs out of play and behind for a goal kick.
48 min: Boos ring around the King Power as ex-Leicester defender Fofana prepares to take a throw-in. No love lost there.
46 min: No substitutions for either team at half-time. However, we got a rare change of officials.
One of the linesmen picked up an injury during the first half and has now been replaced by the fourth official. The duo have swapped roles for the remainder of the match.
Kick-off - Leicester 0-1 Chelsea
We’re back under way!
Chelsea have certainly dominated the majority of the game so far. Leicester barely broke out of their own half in the opening 30 minutes, leaving Robert Sánchez with very little to do. However, the Blues goalkeeper was called into action when the hosts suddenly applied some pressure with just a few minutes left to play.
Perhaps it was a bit of complacency from Enzo Maresca’s side that invited Leicester back into the game. They will be hoping to start the second half just as they did the first.
Joe from Indianapolis has been in touch with a message for Mary…
“Wouldn’t Mary be better served if Leicester continued to park the bus and invite Chelsea pressure? After all, the Foxes are in the same relegation scrap as her beloved Everton.”
Half-time: Leicester 0-1 Chelsea
Jackson’s early strike separates the two sides at the break.
45+3 min: Chelsea have a corner in the final stages of the half. Fernandez swings it in but Leicester have a free kick following a tussle in the six-yard box.
45+1 min: Four minutes have been added on…
44 min: El Khannouss completely wastes a free kick on the right and Chelsea go on the counter attack. The ball is eventually crossed to Madueke in the box, who goes for the volley but just misses the target.
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42 min: Another chance for the hosts! Kristiansen receives the ball from Vardy on the overlap and plays it back to Ndidi on the edge of the box. The midfielder goes for goal with his first touch but fires his shot wide. Much better from Leicester.
40 min: Now Leicester are applying the pressure! Soumaré challenges Caicedo in the box following a poor pass from Sánchez and wins a corner. Caicedo is shown a yellow card for his reaction – it looked like he wanted a free kick.
38 min: Chance for Leicester! McAteer cuts inside from the right before drilling a shot towards the far post. His effort flies inches from the target! What a moment that would’ve been on his first Premier League start!
35 min: Sánchez touches the ball for the first time this match – 10 minutes before half-time. A free kick is floated in from the left but Leicester fail to make the most of it.
33 min: No goal. Cucurella was in an offside position in the build-up.
32 min: Chelsea have the ball in the net once again thanks to Madueke, but the linesman has his flag up.
It’s being checked by VAR…
31 min: And that’s three for three. All of Leicester’s central midfielders have now been booked. Skipp is the latest to receive a yellow.
29 min: Soumaré is booked for a wild challenge on Felix. The midfielder flew into the forward with a reckless slide tackle. He’s arguably lucky to walk away with just a yellow.
28 min: Leicester are starting to pick up the possession, but they are yet to challenge the Chelsea defence.
Mary has messaged in urging Leicester to stop parking the bus following Chelsea’s opening goal…
“Will that goal force Leicester to move the bus out of its parking space? The crowd is getting angry with their boys.”
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24 min: Caicedo goes for goal from the edge of the box but fires his first-time shot well wide, so much so that it was probably closer to the corner flag than the post.
22 min: Ndidi is shown a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Palmer. Chelsea players want him sent off. The midfielder was nowhere near the ball as he caught Palmer right on the achilles. It’s been checked by VAR but the decision remains.
21 min: Leicester have crossed the halfway line! But they lose possession again within a few seconds…
The home fans are becoming impatient already.
19 min: We’re almost 20 minutes into this match and I still don’t think Sánchez has touched the ball…
16 min: Jackson spins Faes, who makes a calamitous attempt to clear the ball before Fernandez wins possession and lays it off to Jackson. The striker then skips past Okoli before firing his shot into the top-right corner with the outside of his right boot.
GOAL! Leicester 0-1 Chelsea (Nicolas Jackson, 15)
It was coming! Jackson breaks the deadlock with a great strike!
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14 min: Palmer sends the corner into the box. The ball is headed away but falls straight to the feet of Felix, who goes for goal with the outside of his right boot. His effort is way off target and flies well wide of the post.
13 min: Caicedo sends the ball wide to Madueke on the right, who plays it into Fernandez in the box. The midfielder goes for the cross but Skipp makes a crucial block.
11 min: Leicester are forced into an early change inside 11 minutes. Winks makes way for Oliver Skipp after picking up an injury.
9 min: There’s some concern for Leicester now as Winks goes to ground with an injury after challenging Fernandez. Skipp is warming up. Steve Cooper could be forced into an early change here.
6 min: I don’t think Leicester have managed any possession inside the Chelsea half yet. They have been quite happy to sit deep and absorb the pressure so far, but if they keep doing that they could be at risk of cracking…
5 min: Chelsea have a free kick outside the Leicester penalty area. Palmer floats it in towards the back post but the hosts can clear.
3 min: Chance for Chelsea as Felix skips past Faes before sending a low-driven cross into the six-yard box. However, Hermansen is able to collect.
1 min: Chelsea have their first glimpse at goal inside the opening minute as Jackson tries to play Felix through on the left side of the box, but his pass is cut out.
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Kick-off
We’re under way at the King Power Stadium!
Writing all the way from California, Mary may have just summed up Jamie Vardy’s game perfectly…
“He doesn’t inspire writers to wax poetic with his play, it isn’t beautiful, it is working class glorious. This is what I imagine is going through his mind when he takes the pitch. ‘I have a job. Score. I am working, don’t bother me.’”
The stage is set. We’re just a few minutes away from kick-off!
Enzo Maresca has opened up about the bond he formed with his Leicester players last season, recalling the night they gatecrashed his house to throw a 2am party after winning the Championship title. The Italian explained: “It was probably the best present I got last season when we were promoted and at around two o’clock in the morning all the team arrived at my house. I was watching the [QPR vs] Leeds game and when it finished all the staff arrived. And then later, very late, the players arrived. They could be in different places to celebrate but they decided to come to my home. When I was a player I was lucky to win things but I never thought to go to the manager’s house.”
Looking ahead to this afternoon’s game, he said: “I will be thankful to the club, the players and the fans. Because it was a fantastic season. I cannot control how they are going to receive me. But I can control how I receive them.”
Jamie Vardy is back in the Leicester starting line-up today after recovering from a back issue. Enzo Maresca heaped praise on his former No9 ahead of this afternoon’s match, claiming he is the best striker of his generation. Maresca said: “Vardy is fantastic and people don’t realise how good he is. I know that England has been quite lucky with strikers, like Kane, Rooney and many others, but if you ask me he has been the best one.
“He can do many things, like run in behind and finish, but the best thing for me is his open mind. Last year he changed the way he was playing by dropping in, linking the play and he still wants to learn. But of course he still has the one thing that is most difficult to find, which is to score goals. He can be out for one week, without training, and play on the Saturday or Sunday and he’s the one who scores.”
One Chelsea fan has been in touch to say how thrilled they are with the club’s progress this season. However, they are not counting Leicester out today…
“#3 on the table is something that we, the Chelsea fans (yes, we are not yet extinct) have not been used to since a while. To be counted as a favourite for the top 4 and get back to UCL should be our target by May 25.
“Leicester is not a serious threat but then who saw the miracle of Forest when the season began. Anything is possible. We can win this 1- 4 or lose it by 5-0. We are Chelsea!”
Also in the Premier League today…
Fulham vs Wolves
Everton vs Brentford
Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest
Bournemouth vs Brighton
Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace
Manchester City vs Tottenham
Leicester also suffered a serious injury blow this week, with promising winger Abdul Fatawu ruled out for the rest of the season. The 20-year-old ruptured his ACL while playing for Ghana during the international break.
Manager Steve Cooper said: “He’s a young player and having an ACL injury can be quite common, it’s part of football, but it’s still a serious injury. For it to happen at a young age is a blow for him and a blow for us. We’ve very much now got to support him in every way we can to make sure his rehab is as smooth and as productive as possible. We hope he can come back a stronger player and person.”
James’ injury nightmare
Chelsea full-back Reece James took to Instagram on Thursday after it was revealed that he suffered another injury setback. He wrote: “This message is to the people that understand & have respect for what I’m going through... I appreciate you so much, your support and kind words go further than you could ever imagine. And just to touch on me... I’m doing okay, been better and also been worse. Another challenge ahead accepted. Eventually I’ll come out on top. Against all odds.”
James has endured a torrid time with injuries over the last five years. He spent seven months on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring issue last season. The Chelsea captain has also endured knocks to his knee, ankle and thigh over the years.
His latest injury is his eighth hamstring issue in four years.
Reece James is not in the Chelsea squad today. The full-back suffered another hamstring injury this week, but Enzo Maresca has played down concerns regarding a long-term spell on the sidelines. The Chelsea manager said on Thursday: “We have just one injured player and that’s Reece who unfortunately felt something small in training two days ago and we don’t want to take a risk for the weekend.
“It’s a hamstring, muscular problem. We will see, we don’t know for how long, for sure [we want him fit for longer]. At the moment it is not happening but we hope it will happen soon. He is out this weekend but hopefully he can be back soon. It’s probably difficult that he can be available for the Conference League [next Thursday], but hopefully soon.”
I want to hear from you this afternoon! Feel free to message me with any score predictions, opinions, thoughts, feelings and all that jazz. Will Enzo Maresca be outfoxed by his former team? (sorry not sorry for the pun) Or will he get another win under his belt at the King Power?
Also, let me know if you’re braving Storm Bert to go and watch the football today…
Weather warnings have been put in place across England today amid the arrival of Storm Bert. Some EFL fixtures scheduled for this afternoon have already been postponed, including the Championship clash between Blackburn and Portsmouth as well as Accrington Stanley’s trip to Bradford in League Two.
Team news
Leicester starting XI: Mads Hermansen; James Justin, Wout Faes, Caleb Okoli, Victor Kristiansen; Harry Winks, Boubakary Soumaré, Wilfred Ndidi; Kasey McAteer, Bilal El Khannouss, Jamie Vardy (C). Substitutes: Danny Ward, Conor Coady, Luke Thomas, Hamza Choudhury, Oliver Skipp, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Stephy Mavididi, Jordan Ayew, Patson Daka.
Chelsea starting XI: Robert Sánchez; Wesley Fofana, Benoît Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez (C), Cole Palmer; Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Nicolas Jackson. Substitutes: Filip Jörgensen, Marcus Bettinelli, Tosin Adarabioyo, Renato Veiga, Roméo Lavia, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jadon Sancho, Mykhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku.
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Preamble
The international break is over, the Premier League is finally back and normal business is resuming.
Hello and welcome to coverage of today’s Premier League clash between Leicester City and Chelsea. Enzo Maresca travels to his former home to face his former club for the first time since swapping Leicestershire for London in July. Maresca led the Foxes back to England’s top flight at the first time of asking last season. Now, he is seeking glory with Chelsea. A win today will put the Blues just one point behind Manchester City. Anything less could see them leapfrogged by Arsenal, Nottingham Forest or Brighton later today. As for Leicester, a much-needed win could give them a nice cushion above the relegation zone.
Kick-off is at 12:30pm GMT - join me!