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First-half goals from Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison propelled Leicester City to the top of the Premier League table, as the Foxes ran out 2-0 winners over Chelsea at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday.
The hosts, who started the game brightly, took the lead via an unexpected source. Ndidi rifled home a sweetly-struck effort off the post after the ball broke loose following a Leicester City corner, with Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal left helpless.
Chelsea attempted to claw their way back into the game over the course of the first half and were looking likely to get back on level terms. However, Maddison doubled the Foxes’ advantage with a well-taken goal just before half time.
Despite the away side’s best efforts, Leicester comfortably held on to their two-goal advantage and walked away with three crucial points that saw them dethrone Manchester United at the top of the league standings.
On the other hand, Chelsea dropped to eighth in the table following their defeat, with the potential of slipping further depending on other results from this round of fixtures.
On that note, let’s take a look at the player ratings from the new league leaders Leicester City’s well-deserved 2-0 win over a misfiring Chelsea.
Leicester City Player Ratings:
Kasper Schmeichel: 5/10
Largely untroubled for most of the game, Leicester City’s experienced goalkeeper comfortably dealt with whatever Chelsea threw at him and was good value for his clean sheet.
Timothy Castagne: 7/10
It was another eye-catching display from Leicester City’s summer signing, who was a willing runner up and down the Foxes’ right flank. Castagne created a number of promising goal-scoring chances with his incisive passing.
Wesley Fofana: 8/10
The Frenchman was immense in the heart of the Leicester City defense, making several vital tackles and clearances during the course of the game. Fofana kept the Chelsea attackers at arm’s length.
Picked up a booking late on for bringing Pulisic down with a tired-looking tackle.
Jonny Evans: 5/10
Although his young central defensive partner completely outshined him, Evans threw in a couple of important tackles to help maintain his side’s clean sheet.
After a clumsy first-half tackle was initially adjudged to have been a penalty, the veteran defender would have been relieved to see it changed to a free-kick on the edge of the area following VAR intervention.
James Justin: 7/10
Playing out of position at left-back, the young Englishman was every bit as impressive as Castagne on the opposite flank for Leicester City. Justin bombed forward at every opportunity and playing his part in several slick Leicester City attacks.
Wilfred Ndidi: 7/10
Having opened the scoring with a superbly taken goal early on, the Nigerian proceeded to spend the rest of the game doing what he does best - sitting in front of his defenders and calmly breaking up attack after attack.
Youri Tielemans: 6/10
The young Belgian was the ideal midfield partner for Ndidi, going about his business with a quiet efficiency, winning his fair share of tackles, making a number of interceptions, and keeping the ball moving with minimal fuss and bother.
Marc Albrighton: 6/10
A typically industrious performance from the English winger, who always looked to get the ball into the box as quickly as possible. Albrighton claimed the assist for Maddison’s goal with a hopeful lofted cross.
James Maddison: 8/10
Maddison ontinued his sparkling run of form by scoring for the third league game in a row and ran the show from midfield with a superb display of passing and movement.
Harvey Barnes: 6/10
Barnes was fortunate to have been credited with an assist for the first goal after a complete miskick was diverted into Ndidi’s path early on. However, he put in a typically energetic shift for the rest of the game and carried the ball forward with great attacking intent.
Jamie Vardy: 5/10
Vardy barely got a touch of the ball as he was largely marked out of the game thanks to the close attentions of Thiago Silva. However, his clever runs created lots of space for his midfielders to exploit, which they did to great effect.
Substitutes:
Ricardo Pereira: 5/10
Pereira made a long-awaited return from injury as he replaced Albrighton on the right flank. He got into a couple of promising positions but was unable to make the most of them.
While Pereira will take some time to get back to full match-fitness, Leicester City will undoubtedly be glad for the additional squad depth going into the second half of the season.
Ayoze Perez: 5/10
The Spaniard replaced Maddison late in the second half and got on the ball on a couple of occasions without making much of an impact.
Kelechi Iheanacho: N.A.
Iheanacho replaced Vardy for the final few minutes and hardly got a touch of the ball for Leicester City.
Chelsea Player Ratings:
Edouard Mendy: 5/10
Given no chance with either of Leicester’s goals but kept his side in the contest with a series of smart saves.
Continues to be extremely uncertain with the ball at his feet and was involved in a couple of nervy mix-ups with his defenders.
Reece James: 4/10
Not only was the Englishman’s crossing well below its usual high standards, but he was also caught out of position for Leicester’s second goal as Maddison was allowed far too much space in the Chelsea penalty area.
Thiago Silva: 5/10
Used every bit of his considerable experience to keep the formidable threat posed by Vardy in check, scarcely allowing the Englishman a sniff in and around the Chelsea penalty area.
The Brazilian was positive in possession throughout, always looking to move the ball forward as quickly as possible.
Antonio Rudiger: 4/10
Not the best outing for the German international, whose defensive positioning was exposed for Leicester’s second goal as he kept leaving large spaces behind him for Leicester’s attackers to exploit.
Ben Chilwell: 5/10
An unhappy return to the King Power Stadium for the former Leicester man as he was given no end of trouble by the pace of Albrighton and Castagne down Chelsea’s left flank.
To his credit, Chilwell got forward well and sent a number of inviting crosses into the box, but to no avail.
Mason Mount: 5/10
Deployed in a more withdrawn midfield role for this fixture, Mount was not as influential in attack as he was in Chelsea’s previous fixture against Fulham and struggled to get involved in his side’s attacking play.
Mateo Kovacic: 5/10
The Croatian was solid in his role as the Chelsea’s deepest-lying midfielder, throwing himself into a series of tackles from which he emerged with the ball more often than not.
However, Kovacic was often overzealous in his efforts to win the ball back and picked up a booking for a cynical challenge on Maddison early in the second half.
Kai Havertz: 5/10
Another disappointing showing from the German international, who got himself into a couple of promising positions but was unable to create anything from the opportunities that came his way.
Callum Hudson-Odoi: 4/10
Drafted into the starting lineup for this fixture, Hudson-Odoi faded away after a lively beginning, with a shot that ended up in the side netting being his only notable involvement.
Tammy Abraham: 5/10
The young striker had a frustrating time leading the line for his side as he was starved of quality service from his midfielders and was therefore left on the fringes of his side’s attacking play.
Christian Pulisic: 5/10
Forced to come inside with increasing regularity to get involved in the game, Pulisic embarked on a number of his trademark mazy runs, all of which eventually came to nothing in the fact of a resolute Leicester defence.
Substitutes:
Timo Werner: 5/10
Denied a late consolation goal by the offside flag and was unable to break his barren run in his late cameo.
Hakim Ziyech: 4/10
Failed to make an impact after finding himself in a couple of promising situations in and around the Leicester goal.
Picked up a booking late on for pulling Justin back after the full-back had gotten away from him in a dangerous position.
