Leicester return to top of the table as they beat Chelsea
Leicester returned to the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 2-1 victory on early Tuesday morning (Singapore time) as Chelsea's desperate defence of their crown continued.
The irrepressible duo of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez once again scored Leicester's goals to send them two points clear at the summit and inflict a ninth league loss of the season on the champions, leaving Jose Mourinho's men 20 points behind and only one point above the relegation zone.
This was in stark contrast to the last clash between the sides at the King Power Stadium at the end of April when a 3-1 win put Mourinho's side on the brink of the title and left the Foxes' survival hopes in the balance.
As has been the case so far this season, Leicester looked inspired and Chelsea jaded and lacking imagination.
Mahrez got the home fans off their seats in the second minute with a mazy run in-field from the right before forcing Thibaut Courtois to get down to his left to smother his shot from just outside the area.
Wes Morgan's sliding challenge to block a goal-bound effort from Eden Hazard was timely but moments later Leicester were dealt a blow when Danny Drinkwater hobbled off holding his hamstring. He was replaced by former Chelsea schoolboy Andy King.
Mahrez worked Courtois again in the 18th minute after bringing down the ball on the edge of the area, but once more it was a routine save for the Belgian.
It was Chelsea's turn to make an enforced change after half an hour when Hazard appeared to hurt his hip after going to ground under a challenge from Vardy. Mourinho introduced Pedro.
Vardy's next involvement would hurt Chelsea further. Mahrez spotted the striker's clever front-post run and found him with a lovely curling cross from the right which Vardy dispatched first time on the volley to give Claudio Ranieri's side a 34th-minute lead.
Jamie Vardy's goal.
Chelsea were almost level immediately as Nemanja Matic's header from a corner clipped the top of the crossbar on the way over.
Marc Albrighton's superb deep cross from the left flank at the start of the second half set up Mahrez for the second goal.
The little Algerian's first touch to bring the ball under his spell was instant.
He then turned Cesar Azpilicueta one way then the other until he had the yard of space he needed to bend the ball around Courtois and into the far corner of the net.
Riyad Mahrez made space for himself with his trickery to score Leicester's second goal
The King Power was rocking but it was nearly silenced twice either side of the hour mark when Pedro was crowded out in a goalmouth scramble before Kasper Schmeichel diverted Diego Costa's shot over the bar when the Chelsea striker was through on goal.
Mourinho threw the dice and brought on Cesc Fabregas and Loic Remy, with John Terry and Oscar making way, and two of his substitutes combined to get the visitors back in the game after 77 minutes as Remy headed home Pedro's cross from close range.
Remy sent a shot wide from the edge of the area but the champions could not force an equaliser despite some late pressure.
It was Chelsea's first defeat to Leicester since February 2001. The man in charge of the London side that day? Current Leicester boss Ranieri.
THE BEST OF JOSE MOURINHO'S POST-MATCH REACTION
On being in a relegation battle
"No I don't believe this. We are in the relegation zone - an area in the table. But to be in a battle is to be there for three or four months and I don't think this will be so."
On why Chelsea are struggling this season
"One possibility is that I did an amazing job and brought the players to a level that is not their level and now they can't maintain it."
On his future
"I am surprised this is always the last question. I want to stay. I hope the board and Mr Abramovich want me to stay."
On how Chelsea lost at Leicester
"I feel my work is betrayed. I worked four days in training for this match. I identified four movements where Leicester score a lot of their goals and in two of the four situations I identified they scored their goals. I went through it all with the players, you can ask them."
On Eden Hazard being substituted
"I don't know what is wrong. The only thing I know is that within 10 seconds he made the decision himself. He came off and said straight away he couldn't do it. Then he tried and immediately he came back off."
On the ball boys
"They were a disgrace to the Premier League."
Source: PA Sports, Reddit
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