Chelsea cruise to victory as Leicester City booed off by fans

Leicester City's Ademola Lookman and Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger (right) battle for the ball during the Premier League match at the King Power Stadium, Leicester. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA

Premier League: Leicester City 0 Chelsea 3 

Chelsea warmed up for their Champions League return against Juventus with an emphatic win over Leicester that has put City manager Brendan Rodgers under pressure.

Goals from Antonio Rüdiger, N’Golo Kanté, and substitute Christian Pulisic only told part of the European champions’ dominance as they briefly went six points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Thomas Tuchel’s side had a further three efforts ruled out for offside, while Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel denied former team-mates Ben Chilwell – who was loudly booed throughout – and Kanté with fine saves.

Booed off at half-time and full-time, Leicester – who won the FA Cup against the same opponents just six months ago – were off the pace and looked disinterested and have now gone four games without a win in all competitions.

Chelsea started strongly, with Jorginho responsible for two of the stand-out moments of the first half.

First, he put a free kick on a sixpence to leave Chilwell clean through, but his shot scraped the top of the crossbar.

It was Chilwell who set up Chelsea’s opening goal. His inswinging corner caught Leicester napping and Rüdiger sent a twisting header beyond Schmeichel in the 14th minute.

Rüdiger got to the ball before Wilfred Ndidi and Timothy Castagne, who seemed slow off his feet.

Jorginho seemed determined to be the architect of a goal for an ex-Leicester player.

He put Kanté through and the midfielder seemed to have an age before flicking the ball goalwards but Schmeichel managed to divert it away.

Chelsea continued to dominate and Mason Mount’s curling free-kick landed on top of the net.

Leicester supporters briefly thought they had equalised with their first effort on goal in the 25th minute but Ademola Lookman had clearly strayed offside before crashing home Marc Albrighton’s cross.

Instead, Chelsea further hammered home their advantage in the 28th minute.

Kanté surged forward from just over halfway after picking up a square pass from Reece James before picking his spot with a low, left-foot shot.

But the way he was allowed to drift forward by Boubakary Soumaré, who merely jogged along, was criminal.

It could have got worse for Leicester before half-time.

For once, Kanté had company, but from his own team-mate, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and the pair collided to block each other’s attempts from Chilwell’s cross.

Rodgers made two substitutions at half-time as James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho replaced Harvey Barnes and Lookman.

But the expected response failed to materialise.

Chelsea continued to control proceedings, Chilwell forcing Schmeichel to tip his first-time angled drive behind.

Hudson-Odoi found the top of the net with a sweet, curling effort after cutting inside as the one-way traffic continued.

Leicester’s first legitimate effort on goal came in the 63rd minute when Daniel Amartey’s swerving, 35-yard drive was tipped over by Edouard Mendy.

Jamie Vardy then headed wide from Maddison’s cross as Leicester tried to hit back.

A double substitution by Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel soon proved inspired.

Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech replaced Kai Havertz and Mount in the 63rd minute and they combined clinically for Chelsea’s third goal eight minutes later.

The lively Ziyech tied the hapless Caglar Söyüncü in knots before crossing to Pulisic, who lost Jonny Evans to tap home.

Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic, and Reece James all had efforts disallowed for offside as Chelsea toyed with Leicester.

Leicester City (3-4-3): Schmeichel 6; Amartey 5, Evans 4, Söyüncü 4; Albrighton 4, Soumaré 4 (Dewsbury-Hall 75 mins, 5), Ndidi 4, Castagne 4; Lookman 5 (Iheanacho 46 mins, 6), Vardy 5, Barnes 4 (Maddison, 46 mins, 4).

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Mendy 8; Rüdiger 8, Thiago Silva 7, Chalobah 8; James 8, Kanté 9, Jorginho 9 (Loftus-Cheek 77 mins, 7), Chilwell 8; Mount 8 (Ziyech 63 mins, 8), Hudson-Odoi 7, Havertz 7 (Pulisic 63 mins, 8).

Referee: Paul Tierney 7.