Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez strike as Chelsea move to within one point of Manchester City in the Premier League table with a 2-0 win over Leicester City.
Enzo Fernandez marked his return to the starting XI with a goal and an assist as Chelsea ran out deserved 2-0 winners over Leicester City in Saturday lunchtime’s Premier League kickoff at the King Power Stadium.
As Storm Bert batters British shores, the West London giants triumphed in challenging conditions in Leicestershire, as Fernandez teed up Nicolas Jackson before putting the tie to bed in the second period, punishing the Foxes for their failure to make some brief periods of pressure count.
Reuniting with the club he led to the Championship crown in the 2023-24 campaign, Maresca witnessed his current employers dominate proceedings from the off, and the deserved opener arrived from the foot of Jackson in the 15th minute.
The Blues’ slick passing and intricate link-up play was penning Leicester in, and Steve Cooper‘s men responded by scything the visitors down; all of Wilfred Ndidi, Boubakary Soumare and Oliver Skipp, who replaced an injured Harry Winks, were booked in the first half.
A different referee may have deemed Ndidi and Soumare’s terrible challenges to be red-card worthy, but Andy Madley kept it 11v11, allowing Leicester to pile the pressure on Chelsea and an unconvincing Robert Sanchez as the first half drew to a close.
Normal service resumed at the start of the second period, where Cole Palmer could not help but laugh after his one-yard tap-in was blocked by his own man in Noni Madueke, but the pair would not be left to lament that comical mix-up.
Indeed, Fernandez went from provider to goalscorer with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, nodding home after Jackson’s header was saved, although the Leicester faithful fumed late on when a possible foul on Stephy Mavididi by Wesley Fofana inside the box went unchecked by the VAR room.
More to follow.
LEICESTER VS. CHELSEA HIGHLIGHTS
Nicolas Jackson goal vs. Leicester (15th min, Leicester 0-1 Chelsea)
Nicolas Jackson opens the scoring for Chelsea!
It’s one the Leicester defence won’t want to watch back in a hurry ?
? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/XFCnQ4oEl5
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 23, 2024
It had been coming.
Wout Faes and Jackson are engaged in a tight tussle for the ball going back towards the Leicester goal, and the Chelsea striker shows terrific strength and desire to win his battle with the Belgian defender, who in truth should have done a lot better.
Jackson plays a one-two of sorts with Enzo Fernandez, skips past Caleb Okoli and conjures up a delightful outside-of-the-foot finish into the far corner.
Enzo Fernandez goal vs. Leicester (75th min, Leicester 0-2 Chelsea)
2-0 Chelsea!
Enzo Fernandez gets the goal but it’s Nicolas Jackson involved again ?
? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/kmasq0PjY2
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 23, 2024
A belated second for the Blues, and the three points are surely in the bag now. Maresca’s men build up patiently around the Leicester box before Marc Cucurella sends a cross in to Jackson, who outmuscles Okoli and sees his header saved by Mads Hermansen.
However, the Leicester goalkeeper can only palm Jackson’s shot into the path of Fernandez, who cannot miss with a simple header of his own from a few yards out.
MAN OF THE MATCH – ENZO FERNANDEZ
© Imago
Winning his place in the starting lineup back from Romeo Lavia, Fernandez more than repaid Maresca’s faith in him with one of his best performances in a Chelsea shirt in recent memory, setting up Jackson’s opener before finding himself in the right place at the right time to rubber-stamp Chelsea’s win.
LEICESTER VS. CHELSEA MATCH STATS
Possession: Leicester X%-Y% Chelsea
Shots: Leicester X-Y Chelsea
Shots on target: Leicester X-Y Chelsea
Corners: Leicester X-Y Chelsea
Fouls: Leicester X-Y Chelsea
BEST STATS
Only Erling Haaland (31) and Ollie Watkins (24) have scored more non-penalty goals in the Premier League since the start of last season than Nicolas Jackson (21).
Today’s game is only Jackson’s 82nd top-flight league appearance (he’s scored 33 goals overall in those games). pic.twitter.com/C8IP38ghXx
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 23, 2024
PL goals for Chelsea:
21 — Nico Jackson
20 — Fernando TorresJackson has 63 fewer appearances than El Niño. pic.twitter.com/ipE6p0rZwg
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) November 23, 2024
Enzo Fernández has scored and assisted in a Premier League game for the first time in his career. ????#LEICHE pic.twitter.com/0bwXbWftrn
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) November 23, 2024
WHAT NEXT?
Chelsea now turn their attention back to the Conference League with a trip to Heidenheim on Thursday, three days before they host Aston Villa in the Premier League.
As for Leicester, Cooper’s men have a week to conduct their post-mortem before welcoming Brentford to the King Power next Saturday at 3pm.
No Data Analysis info
#Leicester #Chelsea #Highlights #man #match #stats #Enzo #Fernandez #produces #masterclass
