Premier League report - Leicester 2-2 Chelsea
Leicester and Chelsea played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the lunch-time Premier League kick-off, with both sides left frustrated they could not find a winner.
Antionio Rüdiger marked his 100th Chelsea appearance with his fifth and sixth goals for the club, while Harvey Barnes and Ben Chilwell struck for the hosts.
Chelsea dominated the opening 20 minutes, with Tammy Abraham missing three good chances, while Willy Caballero - a surprise starter ahead of Arrizabalaga in goal - blocked Jamie Vardy's effort in a one-on-one battle, to see the game goalless at the break.
The visitors took just two minutes to take the lead in the second half, with Rüdiger heading in from close range at the back post. Barnes's deflected effort soon had the hosts level, after he cut back in on the left to shoot with his right foot.
Chilwell then fired into an empty net after Caballero had gone walkabouts, before the Chelsea defender looped in his second header of the day on 71 minutes.
Leicester defender Jonny Evans put an unmarked header wide from a corner in the final 10 minutes, and Barnes missed the chance to get his second, putting a one-on-one tap in passed the keeper, but wide of the left upright.
It now means Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has failed to beat Chelsea in his 14 meetings with his former club. However the point does move the third placed Foxes 15 points clear of Manchester United, who are fifth.
Leicester had to cling on in the first half, though, as the visitors dominated without reward.
Callum Hudson-Odoi missed his kick, Abraham just failed to get a touch on Reece James' teasing cross and Mason Mount shot narrowly over.
Abraham wanted a penalty after 20 minutes when he went down trying to turn Caglar Soyuncu but, after a VAR check, his claims were ignored.
Sluggish Leicester were second best and lived dangerously but Willy Caballero needed to be alert to deny Jamie Vardy after 25 minutes.
Cesar Azpilicueta's ball was intercepted by Ayoze Perez who chested it down to Vardy only for Caballero to thwart the striker with his legs.
The chance woke the Foxes from their slumber and, while Chelsea still looked slicker, Barnes ballooned over from 15 yards.
Chilwell's drive gave Caballero brief concern before the Blues settled again, although Hamza Choudhury headed wide in injury time.
Chelsea got the opener their first-half efforts deserved just 57 seconds after the break.
It was too easy for the visitors as Mount's far-post corner was headed in by Rudiger - on his 100th Chelsea appearance.
Yet their lead lasted just eight minutes, with Barnes grabbing a fourth goal in six outings when he cut inside and his shot arched over Caballero after clipping James.
And 10 minutes later the Foxes completed the turnaround.
Caballero started his first league game of the season after the error-prone Kepa Arrizabalaga had exhausted Lampard's patience.
However, he went walkabout searching for Chilwell's cross and struggled to get back into position when Youri Tielemans returned the ball for the England left-back to sweep in at the far post.
Tielemans' drive was then turned away by Caballero before another twist 19 minutes from time.
Ricardo Pereira fouled Mount and the midfielder delivered a perfect free-kick for Rudiger to plant a brilliant header into the top corner from 10 yards.
Leicester should have won it, though. Jonny Evans headed well wide before Barnes missed a golden chance with 11 minutes left.
Vardy's cross found the winger unmarked with just Caballero to beat but he could only roll the ball inches wide of the post.
OPTA Stats
- Despite also rescuing a point in this game, Leicester have now dropped eight points from winning positions in their last four Premier League games – more than they had in their previous 59 matches from the start of the 2018-19 campaign (6).
- Chelsea’s 13 Premier League away games this season have seen 49 goals scored (F27 A22) – no other sides have seen more on the road (level with Man City).
- This was the sixth Premier League game this season that Chelsea failed to win despite scoring the first goal (D5 L1) – only West Ham (7) have failed to win more in which they’ve opened the scoring this term (before 3pm games).
- Leicester’s Harvey Barnes has scored in three consecutive league games for the first time in his senior career.
- Leicester’s Harvey Barnes has scored in each of his last three Premier League appearances – he’d found the net in just two of his first 39 games in the competition.
- Antionio Rüdiger became the first defender to score twice in a Premier League match for Chelsea since John Terry did so against Fulham in April 2013.
- Both Leicester’s Youri Tielemans and Chelsea’s Mason Mount provided two assists in a single Premier League match for the first time. It’s the first time a Premier League match has seen both sides have a player assist 2+ goals since Tottenham (Kyle Walker-Peters) vs Leicester (Riyad Mahrez) in May 2018.
- At 38y 126d, Chelsea keeper Willy Caballero became the oldest player to make an appearance in the Premier League so far this season.
Relive the game from our live blog
Leicester 2-2 Chelsea
Leicester: Barnes, 54; Chilwell, 64
Chelsea: Rudiger, 47 & 71
Full-time: Leicester 2-2 Chelsea
Both teams will be annoyed that they haven't won this, although Leicester will be more frustrated having missed two easy late chances.
Draw the fair result in a really excellent game of football.
It is now 14 games for Rodgers against Chelsea as a manager and still no wins against his former club.
Leicester third on 49 points, 15 ahead of United in fifth. Chelsea on 41 in fourth
94: Penalty appeal
Barnes breaks free down the left and Leicester are in. His second touch is heavy and means he is stretching when he flicks the ball into the box.
So it doesn't go where he wants to, however it does look to hit Rudiger's hand. But he has them behind his back and right on his body, so VAR checks and says no spot kick
92: Yellow Card
Evans goes into a challenge and commits the foul. He hurts himself in the process and needs treatment. When he gets up, he is booked
92: Rudiger is MOM
BT Sport name Rudiger as the man of the match. Two goals on his 100th appearance and an overall impressive display
In the Championship
By the way, two terrible days for Hull in the Sky Bet Championship. Friday they sell their best two players, Saturday they are hammered at home 5-1 by Brentford. Added to this, Hull's goal was an own goal and a mistake from the Bees' keeper
90: Injury time
Five minutes to be added. The way this is going you wouldn't bet against a winner
87: Praet to the rescue
Kante twists and turns in the box against his old club, gets passed Evans and gets the byline and crosses. Praet needs to slide in and deflect the ball out for a corner, with plenty of Chelsea players waiting behind him to strike
Corner is cleared.
85: Hudson-Odoi injured
Hudson-Odoi is down and stays down and needs a few minutes of treatment. Chelsea have used all their subs, so if he goes off they will have to play out the match with 10 men.
However he will carry on although doesn't look in mint condition
84: In-play tip
Iheanacho is in excellent form of late for Leicester. Only five players in the league have a bet goal per minute record this season.
82: Chelsea sub
The visitors' final change sees Abraham go off and Barkley on. Chelsea settling for a point?
80: Leicester subs
That was Vardy's last action of the game, He is replaced by Iheanacho.
Praet comes on for Tielemans, who has been quiet today
79: Barnes terrible miss
Oh, how are Leicester not ahead? After Evans terrible miss Barnes has now tapped wide one-on-one with the keeper.
Vardy is put in down the right and gets free. He plays a wonderful ball behind the defence and across goal and Barnes just needs to tap in. First time he right foots it eight yards out, sending keeper the wrong way, but wide of the left upright.
76: Evans huge miss
From the resulting free-kick Maddison's effort is deflected over by the wall. Judging by the player's reaction that was destined for the top corner without the block.
From the corner Maddison fires it in and Evans is unmarked on the penalty spot - a powerful header is aimed for the top right bin and is put wide. Really bad miss - the Foxes needed Rudiger there instead.
75: Yellow card
Kovacici takes down Perez as he charges toward goal. Free-kick to Leicester on the right edge of the box...
73: Chelsea sub
Double sub for the visitors
Willian - our pre match tip to score - is on for Pedro
Kovacici on for the cautioned Jorginho
In-play odds
Where does this game go next?
- Leicester to win is 7/2
- Chelsea win is 5/2
- Draw is 4/6
- Leicester to score next is 11/4
- Chelsea to grab the next one is 2/1
GOAL! Leicester 2-2 Chelsea
Rudiger
Another simple set piece and header from Rudiger. Free-kick floated in from the left and Rudiger jumps high and loops a header from 10 yards out over Schmeichel.
He hadn't scored since 2018 and now has two in one match
GOAL HIGHLIGHT
This is how Leicester equalised
69: Caballero save
Tielemans fires in from 30 yards from right to left and Caballero dives low to his right to tip away.
Leicester pushing for a third
Yellow Card
Maddison the first Leicester man to go in the box for a foul on James.
GOAL! Leicester 2-1 Chelsea
Chilwell
Leicester now lead thanks to the England left back. But it comes from a mistake from Caballero. Leicester cross from the left, but it is overhit and over everyone. But for some reason the keeper decides to run out to the left of his box to try and collect the ball.
He was never going to get it. Leicester flick it back on from right and Chilwell arrives at the back post to fire passed the defenders, with the keeper nowhere to be seen.
57: Yellow Card
Maddison runs at Jorginho is tripped by him to go into the book. That's his ninth of the season.
GOAL HIGHLIGHT
This is how Chelsea took the lead
GOAL: Leicester 1-1 Chelsea
Barnes
Leicester have been pushing and pushing since going behind and they get what they deserve
Barnes races into the box on the left, cuts back in side and aims for the far post. His shot is deflected, which helps it loop over Caballero and into the far corner.
52: Leicester pushing
The hosts are dominating again now, forcing a corner. That is delivered to the near post, hits a lot of bodies and then is cleared by the visitors.
47: Leicester chance
The Foxes go looking for the equaliser straight away. They get into the box and Barnes fires low from close range from a narrow angle and Caballero saves with his foot again.
GOAL: Leicester 0-1 Chelsea
Rudiger
Chelsea strike immediately. They win a corner on the left. It flies to the back post, Schmeichel comes, then stops and Rudiger is at the back post to head down and in from close range.
Very simple goal for Chelsea, poor defending from Leicester.
Rudiger marks his 100th game for Chelsea with his fifth goal for the club
45: Second half kicks pff
We are back underway at the King Power. No chances for either side
Video highlight
Best chance of the game fell to the Premier League's top scorer Jamie Vardy, but he was denied by the veteran Chelsea stopper
SKY BET PRICE BOOST
How do we not have any goals in this one so far?
At the break Sky Bet have Price Boosted:
- Vardy to score the first goal is 5/1
- Both teams to score in the second half is 5/2
- Abraham to score the first goal is 11/2
Half-time stats
- Possession: Leicester 48.7% v 51.3% Chelsea
- Total shots: Leicester 7 v 5 Chelsea
- Shots on target: Leicester 1 v 1 Chelsea
- Passes: Leicester 231 v 243 Chelsea
- Pass success: Leicester 76% v 82% Chelsea
- Corners: Leicester 2 v 4 Chelsea
Half-time: Leicester 0-0 Chelsea
One of those games where you wonder how it is 0-0. Both sides have had great attacking opportunities, helped by some questionable defending.
But a mix of poor finishing and desperate late blocks keeps it goalless
46: Big Leicester chances
Oh, Leicester blow two big chances.
First a counter sees Vardy race in to the edge of the box, but the ball gets stuck under his foot as he wanted to shoot and defenders get around him. So he gets it to Perez, who is free on the right and ready for a first time shot. But the pass is behind him, forcing him to take a touch and the chance is gone. He then clips it to Barnes at the back post, but a Chelsea man heads over his own bar.
From the resulting corner, Choudhury rises highest at the back post, he should score, but puts his header wide
45: Injury time
Two minutes to be added.
42: In-play tip
I'd look at the young English full-backs for an assist here, as Chilwell and James are causing havoc down their respective wings
Leicester's Chilwell, on the left, is 11/2 to get one or more goal assists. Chelsea's James, on the right, is worth looking at too
41: Scramble
Another Chelsea cross into the Leicester box causes the Foxes to panic. Loose ball falls to Mount and he fires low into the corner, Soyuncu slides to block with his knee. Ball comes back to Mount and defenders crowd him out
39: Evans clears
To prove my point on the below, Chelsea come forward now and James delivers another wick cross from the right across that six yard box and Evans has to fire over his own goal to stop Abraham tapping in
Next team score...
Leicester are 5/4 to score the first goal; Chelsea are 1/1. It is too tough to call currently, avoid this would be my suggestion, despite Leicester now dominating.
36: Chilwell over
It is all Leicester now. From a corner from the right the ball goes to the back post, missing everyone.
Chilwell controls a difficult bouncing ball on his chest and side volleys from a tight angle. It is a great effort and only just over.
32: Barnes over
Chilwell gets down the left for Leicester, beating two men. He gets it to Barnes, 12 yard out and unmarked. But he lacks composure and fires well, well over.
He's caught James Maddison's habit of blowing good chances.
30: Chelsea free-kick
Evans brings down Mount 30 yards out on the left, which the defender thinks is a harsh call from the ref - it isn't.
Mount fancies it, but can only curl into the wall
29: Leicester close again
Leicester break down the right, Tielemans gets to he byline in the box and squares the ball into the six yard box. It is into space and a Chelsea body just gets back and clears as Vardy went for a tap in
25: Caballero denies Vardy
Chelsea make a mess of playing out from the back from a goal kick. Leicester's pressing wins the ball back and Vardy is in one-on-one. Caballero is out quickly and blocks the shot with his foot.
Before that, a Maddison free kick from the right went across the six yard box, missing everyone, with Barnes and Evans just missing the ball at the back post for a tap in
22: Leicester chance
Leicester finally get going and fashion a chance. Barnes breaks down the left, cuts on the left edge of the box and squares to the free Telemans in the D. He looks to curl into the top corner, but can only hit a Chelsea defender and deflect away.
Another shot is fired in from distance from Pereira but easily cleared.
Barnes is then fouled on the left, but a poor free-kick into the box is headed away easily.
19: Chelsea penalty appeal
Abraham is played into the box and as he checks back onto his right foot he goes down as Soyuncu runs with him.
Ref says no pen, VAR is checking.... and says no too.
There might back been slight knee to knee contact, but that's it.
17: Abraham close again
Another two let offs for Leicester from Abraham misses
First the ball is pulled back to him, again unmarked, 8 yards out. It is a little behind him, but it shouldn't cause a problem, and as he puts the breaks on he slips over and the chance is gone.
However Chelsea quickly win the ball back on the right, James fires in another mid-flighted cross across the six yard box and Abraham throws out a leg and misses it by 2cm. Any touch and that was in.
Leicester clinging on
11: Hudson-Odoi looking dangerous
Hudson-Odoi now carries the ball forward and gets into the penalty area. He gets the ball to Mount, who fires over.
Turns out Mount was offside anyway - just
09: Chelsea getting going
Chelsea are starting to move through the gears. Now they come down the right and a dangerous cross is delivered into the six yard box by James. It is one of those just just needs a touch from a striker or defender for it to go it and Evans does really well to get to the ball first and deflect it wide rather than into his own net
First corner is cleared out for another. The second comes to nothing after a training ground sort corner routine is over hit and out
06: Air kick
Chelsea mount the first serious attack, quickly breaking down the left with Pedro and Azpilicueta combining. The ball is squared across the edge of the box to the unmarked Abraham in the D, put he totally air kicks it and Leicester clear
Happens to the best of us and makes us feel better to watch a pro do it
04: Cagy start
Neither side has got going yet, with the ball being given away by both sides in central midfield
00: Kick-off
Leicester in the home blue tops and socks and white shorts. Chelsea in black shirts and shorts and orange socks
1227: Teams
A reminder of the lineups as the two teams walk out onto the King Power pitch
Leicester:
Schmeichel, Pereira, Soyuncu, Evans, Chilwell, Barnes, Choudhury, Tielemans, Maddison, Perez, Vardy
Subs: Ward, Justin, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Gray, Praet, Fuchs
Chelsea:
Caballero, James, Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Kante, Jorginho, Pedro, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Barkey, Willian, Kovacici, Batshuayi, Tomori
1225: Chelsea not letting go of fourth
This will be Chelsea's 12th consecutive Premier League matchday starting the day fourth, the longest run in that position since Spurs started 23 consecutive games fourth between December 2005 and May 2006, ending the season fifth after losing 1-2 to West Ham on the final day.
1215 Frank says..
SOCCER SATURDAY PRICE BOOST
Get involved in the Soccer Saturday Price Boost:
- Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle to win is 9/2
- Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle to draw with Norwich is 13/2
- Liverpool, Leeds and Norwich all to win is 13/2
1205: Barnes to score again?
Leicester's Harvey Barnes has scored in consecutive Premier League matches, having scored in just two of his first 39 appearances in the competition.
He's never scored in three consecutive league matches within the top four tiers of English football.
If you think he will do that finally today then he is 5/1 to score anytime and 14/1 to score first
1157: Rodgers has no love for Chelsea
It is no secret that Chelsea fans are not big admirers of Brendan Rodgers even though he is a former coach of the club. That's because when at Liverpool he suggested he was 'finally' working at a big club, which annoyed Blues fans.
Equally, Rodgers probably doesn't like Chelsea that much considering his record against them. He's faced Chelsea as a manager 13 - the side he's faced most in his career - and is winless in all 13, losing six of those. He's only lost more often against Manchester United (9).
1153: Fancy Chelsea to win?
History backs the away team here, and Chelsea are 17/10 to win this with Sky Bet
The Blues have won five of their last seven games AT Leicester
The home team in this fixture has failed to win any of the last six league meetings between the two.
Leicester have lost two of their last three Premier League home matches.
1150: Sporting Life pre-game tip
With Tammy Abraham playing with an injury, it is worth looking in the visitors' side for a likely goal source and Willian does catch the eye. The Brazilian should be part of Chelsea's front three and considering his threat going forward, the 17/4 anytime price is worthy of a small interest.
The 31-year-old has five goals in all competitions this season and averages two shots per game, registering 10 in his last three outings.
1145: Key stats
- Leicester City are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games against Chelsea (W1 D3), their best run since a run of five without defeat between April 1999 and February 2001.
- Chelsea have won five of their last seven Premier League away matches against Leicester (D1 L1), with their only defeat in this run coming during Leicester's title-winning season in December 2015.
- No team has won more away Premier League games against Leicester at the King Power Stadium than Chelsea (4, level with Liverpool and Spurs).
1140: Big Willy Style
So Caballero is the shock selection in this match. The keeper starts in the league for the first time since 12 May last season.
Guess what? That was against Leicester too and he kept a clean sheet in that one - omen???
Speaking on BT Sport boss Frank Lampard said: "It's a decision I have not taken lightly. "I trust in Willy Caballero, I trust in both keepers."
1136: Chelsea Team News
Wow, big change in goal with 35-year-old Willy Caballero in goal. Kepa Arrizabalaga is not injured and is on the bench.
Chelsea: Caballero, James, Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Kante, Jorginho, Pedro, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Barkey, Willian, Kovacici, Batshuayi, Tomori
1135: Leicester Team News
Leicester bring Jamie Vardy back into the starting 11, having been a sub in the League Cup defeat to Aston Villa.
Ndidi was also meant to start after having a minor op this week, however he complained of soreness this morning and Choudhury comes in to replace him, with Gray coming onto the bench
Leicester: Schmeichel, Pereira, Soyuncu, Evans, Chilwell, Barnes, Choudhury, Tielemans, Maddison, Perez, Vardy
Subs: Ward, Justin, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Gray, Praet, Fuchs
1130 Welcome
Good morning everyone. Hope you've had good weeks.
Did you club get the signings you want, or at least keep the players you feared would be sold for a quick buck?
So, with the window 'slamming' shut we can now focus on the football again and it starts with Chelsea away to Leicester, with both chasing a place in the top four and a Champions League spot for next season