Leicester City 0-3 Chelsea: Rudiger, Kante & Pulisic on target for dominant Premier League leaders

Premier League leaders Chelsea ruthlessly tightened their grip on top spot by punishing the failings of lacklustre Leicester at King Power Stadium.

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 six points before Saturday's later kick-offs, could have had more 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.

Leaders on a real Power trip

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.

No team in the top flight has had more players find the net than Chelsea - 15 - and the fact Rudiger and Kante, hardly prolific scorers, both registered their second goals of the campaign was further proof Tuchel's side, who barely missed a step on their return from the international break, carry a threat from all over the pitch.

Foxes' failings laid bare by Blues

It was another chastening afternoon for Leicester, who have become regular contenders for the Champions League places in recent seasons, but look as far away from that top four as at any point of Brendan Rodgers' reign.

Since the start of last season, no side has conceded more goals from corners than the Foxes with Rudiger's early effort taking that tally to 15.

However, they were torn apart just as often from open play, as evidenced by defence-splitting through balls from Jorginho that led to big chances for Chilwell and Kante, while the room the latter was allowed to run into for his goal verged on embarrassing.

They were just as poor defensively after the interval, as only some wasteful finishing, a couple of Schmeichel saves and some marginal, albeit correct, offside calls kept the margin of defeat respectable.

Player of the match

KantéN'Golo Kanté

Leicester City

Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel

Squad number18Player nameAmartey

Squad number10Player nameMaddison

Squad number9Player nameVardy

Squad number6Player nameEvans

Squad number25Player nameNdidi

Squad number14Player nameIheanacho

Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü

Squad number37Player nameLookman

Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton

Squad number27Player nameCastagne

Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall

Squad number42Player nameSoumaré

Squad number7Player nameBarnes

Chelsea

Squad number7Player nameKanté

Squad number29Player nameHavertz

Squad number24Player nameJames

Squad number2Player nameRüdiger

Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva

Squad number10Player namePulisic

Squad number16Player nameMendy

Squad number21Player nameChilwell

Squad number20Player nameHudson-Odoi

Squad number22Player nameZiyech

Squad number14Player nameChalobah

Squad number5Player nameJorginho

Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek

Squad number19Player nameMount

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 3-4-3

1Schmeichel

18Amartey6Evans4Söyüncü

11Albrighton42Soumaré25Ndidi27Castagne

37Lookman9Vardy7Barnes

Substitutes

Chelsea

Formation 3-4-2-1

16Mendy

14Chalobah6Thiago Silva2Rüdiger

24James7Kanté5Jorginho21Chilwell

19Mount20Hudson-Odoi

29Havertz

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Leicester City 0, Chelsea 3.

Second Half ends, Leicester City 0, Chelsea 3.

Offside, Leicester City. Daniel Amartey tries a through ball, but Kelechi Iheanacho is caught offside.

Attempt missed. Ben Chilwell (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Christian Pulisic.

Offside, Chelsea. Hakim Ziyech tries a through ball, but Callum Hudson-Odoi is caught offside.

Offside, Chelsea. Antonio Rüdiger tries a through ball, but Ben Chilwell is caught offside.

Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Çaglar Söyüncü (Leicester City).

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Thiago Silva.

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Édouard Mendy.

Attempt saved. James Maddison (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Offside, Chelsea. Antonio Rüdiger tries a through ball, but Ben Chilwell is caught offside.

Substitution, Chelsea. Ruben Loftus-Cheek replaces Jorginho because of an injury.

Substitution, Leicester City. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall replaces Boubakary Soumaré.

Offside, Chelsea. Hakim Ziyech tries a through ball, but Christian Pulisic is caught offside.

Attempt missed. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Reece James.

Goal! Leicester City 0, Chelsea 3. Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech.

Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City).

Foul by Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea).

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