Soccer

Chelsea hold on to beat Leicester despite Madueke mishap

Noni Madueke blocked a goalbound shot from team-mate Cole Palmer

Enzo Fernandez scores Chelsea's second goal against Leicester City. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Enzo Fernandez scores Chelsea's second goal against Leicester City. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Sat Nov 23 2024 - 15:47
Premier League: Leicester City 1 Chelsea 2

Goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez helped Chelsea to a 2-1 Premier League win at Leicester City on Saturday that would have been much more comfortable if Blues winger Noni Madueke had not blocked team-mate Cole Palmer’s goalbound shot.

Jackson punished Leicester for not clearing their lines in the 15th minute, taking a touch and flicking the ball past Foxes keeper Mads Hermansen with the outside of his right boot as Chelsea dominated their hosts.

Chelsea should have gone two up in the 54th minute, but Madueke ran ahead of the play and could not get out of the way of Palmer’s close-range shot at an empty net, deflecting his effort wide before Chelsea captain Fernandez spared his blushes by scoring with a 75th-minute header.

Jordan Ayew’s stoppage-time penalty for Leicester came too late to prevent Chelsea from sealing a win that moved the third-placed Blues up to 22 points in the table.