Football: Chelsea 1 - 0 Leicester City
An important win for Chelsea as they aim to secure Champions League qualification
Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four with a hard-fought win over Leicester City at Stamford Bridge, courtesy of a second-half strike from Marc Cucurella.
Author - Lauren W
The Spanish left-back netted his fifth goal of the season, and his second in as many league games, after finding the net after scoring against Southampton last time out.
His decisive moment came on the hour mark, when he unleashed a left-footed effort from 25 yards that flew past Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen.
Before that, Chelsea had struggled to break through. They squandered a golden opportunity midway through the first half when Cole Palmer saw his penalty saved by Hermansen, after Jadon Sancho was tripped in the box by Victor Kristiansen.
It was Palmer’s first failure from the spot after converting all 12 of his previous penalties, extending his run without a goal to nine matches in all competitions.
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Leicester had looked the more dangerous side in the opening period and almost took the lead in bizarre fashion, when Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo headed against his own crossbar. But that was as close as the visitors came.
After the break, Enzo Maresca’s side upped their intensity, and Cucurella’s goal proved enough to secure a crucial three points, lifting Chelsea above Manchester City and opening up a two-point gap over the defending champions.
For Leicester, the defeat leaves them in deep trouble, sitting second from bottom, level on points with 18th-placed Ipswich but trailing on goal difference, and six points adrift of safety.
When will Cole Palmer score again?
Chelsea will take great satisfaction from this much-needed victory in their fight for a Champions League place, but Cole Palmer must be wondering what more he has to do to end his goal drought.
Despite being the club’s top scorer with 14 goals this season, the 22-year-old had gone eight games without a goal or assist, a barren run stretching back to mid-January.
He had the perfect opportunity to break that streak in the 22nd minute when Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Kristiansen clipped Sancho. Palmer had been flawless from the spot, converting all 12 of his previous penalties.
Yet this time, his low, driven effort was brilliantly turned away by Hermansen. Palmer showed no reaction, immediately sprinting to collect the ball as it rolled out for a corner.
His struggles continued, however, and he was substituted with 17 minutes remaining, replaced by Tyrique George, as Maresca kept one eye on Thursday’s Conference League last-16 second leg against Copenhagen at Stamford Bridge.
If Chelsea are to hold on to a top-four spot, they will need Palmer to rediscover his scoring touch. Against a resilient Leicester side, they once again found it difficult to break through.
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