Enzo Maresca left with lingering Chelsea question despite Leicester win - 5 talking points
LEICESTER CITY 1-2 CHELSEA: Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez secured three points for Enzo Maresca's side against the Foxes as the Blues saw out a narrow victory at the King Power Stadium
by Scott Trotter · The MirrorEnzo Maresca coached his Chelsea side to a comfortable victory over Leicester City on his return to the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes set their stall deep into their own half and proved unable to create anything for much of the 90 minutes. When Blues defender Benoit Badiashile headed back a hopeful long ball, Chelsea were quickly questioning the security of the Foxes' backline however.
Nicolas Jackson hassled and harried Wout Faes before claiming the ball to provide a cool finish that handed Maresca's side the lead after 15 minutes. Chelsea spent the next 30 minutes camped in Leicester's half but could not find their way to extending their lead.
Maresca's men enjoyed the lion's share of possession but required an hour to find more success. Jackson saw a header well-saved but Enzo Fernandez was on hand to double Chelsea's advantage and seal three points
Leicester earned a stoppage time penalty which Jordan Ayew dispatched with no problem but there was no time for his side to find an equaliser. Mirror Football take a look at the talking points to emerge from the match.
Nicolas Jackson continues to prove himself
The Senegal international scored his seventh goal of the season for Chelsea and his fourth in as many games away from home. Jackson produced a cool, composed finish that makes some of the wayward shooting of 2023/24 scarcely possible to comprehend.
The young forward has started this term in impressive form and quietened the criticism, that was often unwarranted, from 12 months ago. The former Villarreal ace showed a sharpshooting tendency combined with the work-rate often associated with the experienced figure on the opposite side, Jamie Vardy.
Jackson showed plenty of other talents too and was unfortunate to see an impressive run and cross with his weaker foot not converted by Noni Madueke.
Lucky Ndidi
Leicester's Wilfred Ndidi started a familiar pattern of Foxes stars picking up cautions for poor tackles. The Nigerian midfielder received a yellow card when attempting to claim the ball from Cole Palmer from behind.
The video assistant referee took a second look and it showed Ndidi coming nowhere close to the ball and raking his studs down the back of Palmer's leg. A foul worthy of a red in most eyes.
No decision was taken to upgrade the card however as VAR stuck with the onfield conclusion. The game was not re-officiated on this occasion but after taking the time to review the moment regardless, perhaps a puzzling one to not see overturned.
Boubakary Soumaré and Oliver Skipp soon joined Ndidi in the book for late challenges of their own but not of the same severity.
Chelsea's depth showing through?
Enzo Maresca was unable to select either Pedro Neto or Malo Gusto on Saturday afternoon. The former picked up a knock on international duty which allowed his countryman Joao Felix to start at the King Power Stadium, while Gusto missed out through illness.
That saw the Blues Italian coach forced to swap from his first choice defensive partnership as Wesley Fofana moved to right back, with club captain Reece James out with a hamstring injury. Not an ideal move but the Frenchman was able to deputise, while the incoming Benoit Badiashile was dominant in the air.
It did allow Maresca to show his own depth, with Marc Cucurella employed as a winger in attacking play rather than into a midfield role. The Spaniard became part of the west London side's attacking offering with Fofana becoming part of a defensive trio.
Rome Lavia was also limited to starting the game from the bench after dealing with an injury during the international break. That saw Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo start the game despite a quick turnaround from their trips to South America.
Lavia had appeared to make himself indisposable alongside Caicedo but there was little issue on Saturday. More than £200million worth of talent should be able to comfortably deal with a team battling for Premier League survival, but that their opposition's midfield three each picked up a yellow card showed who was winning the battle in the centre of the pitch
Things are looking tough for Leicester
The Foxes may sit 15th in the Premier League but the signs are clear that the side's dreams can reach no further than survival. Their only wins this term have come against Ipswich and Southampton, and while they are the teams Cooper's side must defeat to retain their top-flight status, the pressure to claim three points on those occasions continues to grow.
Defensive performances will be crucial to ensuring a good goal difference and earning a point here and there, but such was Leicester's lack of ambition and occasional uncertainty, they will need to offer more. It took 40 minutes for Leicester to find a shot on goal and while it offered a glimmer of hope, it perhaps showed more that they should have attempted to challenge a Chelsea defence that has suffered from mistakes this term.
Only in 2001 had Leicester recorded fewer wins after 11 games and they will need to pose Brentford and West Ham more frequent problems to stop that record from getting worse.
Chelsea's lingering question
Even with few opportunities to show his shotstopping abilities and only being denied a clean sheet via a penalty, questions will linger over Robert Sanchez as Chelsea's first choice in goal. The Spaniard's distribution was once again uncertain as he left Caicedo in trouble in his own area and showed some wayward passing.
It is not of course, all of his own doing. Even in difficult weather conditions Sanchez will have been encouraged to play out ambitiously.
While uncertainty prevails however, the Blues will be home to a nervous feeling.
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