Premier League
ChelseaChelsea0LeicesterLeicester City1

Chelsea 0-1 Leicester City: Chelsea stunned by Leicester and Jamie Vardy winner

By Patrick JenningsBBC Sport
Jamie Vardy
Vardy was making his 250th Leicester appearance

Manager Maurizio Sarri said his Chelsea players reacted with "mental confusion" as they failed to respond to the predatory Jamie Vardy strike that earned Leicester victory at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues lost at home for the first time this season after Vardy's first-time finish in the box from James Maddison's pass in the 51st minute.

Chelsea had been dominant before the break and struck the bar through Eden Hazard following a Harry Maguire error - the best of a host of chances.

But having gone behind, it was Sarri's side who became sloppy as Leicester grew in strength having resisted heavy pressure.

The Foxes would have doubled their lead but for Cesar Azpilicueta's sliding block to deny Vardy after Kepa Arrizabalaga spilled a cross, before the keeper saved well from Marc Albrighton.

Chasing a goal of their own, Chelsea struggled to break their opponents down before missing two key late chances.

In the 89th minute, Antonio Rudiger nodded just wide from a corner, before Marcos Alonso struck the post with only the keeper to beat two minutes later.

"We played well for 55 minutes," Sarri told BBC Sport.

"I think that, of course, in some situations we were unlucky but we could have done something better.

"After the goal the reaction was not the right reaction. We reacted a little shocked and with mental confusion. We had to only keep playing like we did before the goal, there was time to recover."

The Blues had not lost at home since 1 April, against Tottenham, and this defeat leaves them level on points with fifth-placed Arsenal, who beat Burnley 3-1 earlier on Saturday. They trail leaders Liverpool by 11 points.

For Leicester, the win moves them up to ninth in the table and is their first victory from 11 matches in London.

Crisis? What crisis?

Reportsexternal-link before the game spoke not just of pressure on Leicester boss Claude Puel from the club's owners but of an apparent falling-out with his players, too.

There was little sign of the team lacking any motivation or desire on the pitch on Saturday.

Resisting the intensity of Chelsea's attacking intent is by no means a small feat. Puel's men not only managed to achieve that, but also to build on it as they forced themselves slowly but surely into the game.

It was Vardy's goal, scored on his 250th appearance for the club, that sealed victory, but it was a win earned by the whole team through constant running, daring in defence, and precision when it counted.

With Manchester City up next on 26 December, it had been suggested Leicester's following match at home to Cardiff on 29 December might even decide the future of their French manager.

Instead, this impressive victory, a first at Stamford Bridge since 2000, must surely stand as evidence of Puel's worth.

Chelsea however, will now face questions of their own.

Bad misses or bad luck?

This was not a vintage Chelsea performance - not the kind of showing we have come to expect from them at home since Sarri's arrival in the summer.

Looking back on the match, the Italian will identify three big misses that cost his side.

There was Hazard, smashing against the bar in search of his 100th Chelsea goal, there was Rudiger's header wide under pressure but with the goal gaping at a corner, and finally Alonso's 91st-minute miss when clean through.

The Spaniard, played in behind the Leicester defence, side-footed his shot against the post and out, having been given what seemed an age to pick his spot.

Perhaps these were moments of bad luck. Sarri is renowned as being a very superstitious man, but he will not have failed to observe the clear dip in intensity from his side after going behind, which ultimately defined their afternoon.

They seemed shell-shocked after Vardy's powerful strike, and only managed to conjure something of their finer play in the final few dramatic minutes. It turned out to be too little, too late.

Hazard left the field with a wry smile having missed out on the chance of becoming just the 10th Chelsea player to reach that landmark total of a century of goals.

Had he done so, the afternoon might have ended very differently for Puel, the man who gave him his senior debut 11 years ago for French club Lille.

Man of the match - Ricardo Pereira (Leicester)

Ricardo Pereira
The Portuguese defender made more tackles, more clearances and more interceptions than any player on the pitch. He won possession a joint-high nine times, including in the build-up to Vardy's goal.

What's next?

Chelsea next play at Watford in the Premier League on Wednesday, 26 December, before travelling to Crystal Palace on Sunday, 30 December.

Leicester host Manchester City on Wednesday, before Cardiff travel to King Power Stadium on Saturday, 29 December.

What the managers said

Leicester manager Claude Puel, speaking to BBC Sport:

Chelsea 0-1 Leicester: Foxes' win is a 'fantastic feeling' - Claude Puel

"It was fantastic hard work from the team together, first to defend and after to try and counter-attack.

"In the second half with the confidence, we performed, scored a fantastic goal, a fantastic reward for the team because we gave our best.

"It is a fantastic feeling. Hopefully we continue this way but the win doesn't change anything. It is important we go away to analyse our game; that we continue to work with the same mentality and same attitude."

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri, speaking to BBC Sport:

Chelsea 0-1 Leicester: Maurizio Sarri admits Chelsea will not reach Liverpool or Man City

"As I said at the beginning of the Premier League, it is impossible to catch Liverpool and Manchester City. We have to be careful to stay close to the first four positions."

Vardy a big six menace - the stats

  • Chelsea have failed to score in two of their past four home league games, as many as in their previous 21, and lost at home in the league for the first time in 13 games
  • Vardy has scored 13 goals in his past 15 Premier League appearances against the 'big six' sides
  • Chelsea conceded a home Premier League goal for the first time in four games, ending a run of 357 minutes without an opposition goal at Stamford Bridge
  • Leicester's James Maddison has created 41 goalscoring chances in the Premier League this season, more than any other English player

Line-ups

Chelsea

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Arrizabalaga
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 2Rüdiger
  • 30David Luiz
  • 3Alonso
  • 7Kanté
  • 5JorginhoSubstituted forFàbregasat 75'minutes
  • 17KovacicSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 61'minutes
  • 11Pedro
  • 10E Hazard
  • 22WillianSubstituted forGiroudat 61'minutes

Substitutes

  • 4Fàbregas
  • 8Barkley
  • 12Loftus-Cheek
  • 13Caballero
  • 18Giroud
  • 21Zappacosta
  • 24Cahill

Leicester

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Schmeichel
  • 14Ricardo Pereira
  • 5Morgan
  • 15Maguire
  • 3Chilwell
  • 38Choudhury
  • 24MendyBooked at 81mins
  • 25NdidiBooked at 31mins
  • 11Albrighton
  • 9VardySubstituted forIheanachoat 84'minutes
  • 10MaddisonSubstituted forGrayat 82'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Evans
  • 7Gray
  • 8Iheanacho
  • 12Ward
  • 20Okazaki
  • 21Iborra
  • 28Fuchs
Referee:
Lee Probert
Attendance:
40,558

Match Stats

Home TeamChelseaAway TeamLeicester
Possession
Home72%
Away28%
Shots
Home17
Away8
Shots on Target
Home5
Away3
Corners
Home9
Away5
Fouls
Home10
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Chelsea 0, Leicester City 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Chelsea 0, Leicester City 1.

  3. Post update

    Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by N'Golo Kanté.

  4. Post update

    Offside, Leicester City. Demarai Gray tries a through ball, but Kelechi Iheanacho is caught offside.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea) header from very close range misses to the right. Assisted by Pedro with a cross following a corner.

  6. Post update

    Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ricardo Pereira.

  7. Post update

    Attempt missed. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Hamza Choudhury.

  8. Substitution

    Substitution, Leicester City. Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Jamie Vardy.

  9. Post update

    Hand ball by Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).

  10. Substitution

    Substitution, Leicester City. Demarai Gray replaces James Maddison.

  11. Post update

    Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City).

  13. Post update

    Attempt saved. Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

  14. Booking

    Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Cesc Fàbregas (Chelsea).

  16. Post update

    James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  17. Post update

    Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).

  18. Post update

    Ben Chilwell (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  19. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, Chelsea. Cesc Fàbregas replaces Jorginho.

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As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Liverpool1815303973248
2Man City18142250133744
3Tottenham17130431161539
4Chelsea18114335152037
5Arsenal18114340241637
6Man Utd188553430429
7Watford188372525027
8Bournemouth188282728-126
9Leicester187472221125
10Wolves187471921-225
11Everton176652422224
12West Ham187382527-224
13Brighton186392026-621
14Crystal Palace1853101725-818
15Newcastle184591422-817
16Southampton183691933-1415
17Cardiff1842121838-2014
18Burnley1833121636-2012
19Huddersfield1824121131-2010
20Fulham1824121642-2610
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