Leicester City 2-0 Chelsea: Player Ratings as Foxes climb to the top of the table | Premier League 2020-21
First-half goals from Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison propelled Leicester City to the top of the Premier League table, as the Foxes ran out 2-0 winners over Chelsea at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday.
The hosts, who started the game brightly, took the lead via an unexpected source. Ndidi rifled home a sweetly-struck effort off the post after the ball broke loose following a Leicester City corner, with Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal left helpless.
Chelsea attempted to claw their way back into the game over the course of the first half and were looking likely to get back on level terms. However, Maddison doubled the Foxes’ advantage with a well-taken goal just before half time.
Despite the away side’s best efforts, Leicester comfortably held on to their two-goal advantage and walked away with three crucial points that saw them dethrone Manchester United at the top of the league standings.
On the other hand, Chelsea dropped to eighth in the table following their defeat, with the potential of slipping further depending on other results from this round of fixtures.
On that note, let’s take a look at the player ratings from the new league leaders Leicester City’s well-deserved 2-0 win over a misfiring Chelsea.
Leicester City Player Ratings:
Kasper Schmeichel: 5/10
Largely untroubled for most of the game, Leicester City’s experienced goalkeeper comfortably dealt with whatever Chelsea threw at him and was good value for his clean sheet.
Timothy Castagne: 7/10
It was another eye-catching display from Leicester City’s summer signing, who was a willing runner up and down the Foxes’ right flank. Castagne created a number of promising goal-scoring chances with his incisive passing.
Wesley Fofana: 8/10
The Frenchman was immense in the heart of the Leicester City defense, making several vital tackles and clearances during the course of the game. Fofana kept the Chelsea attackers at arm’s length.
Picked up a booking late on for bringing Pulisic down with a tired-looking tackle.
Jonny Evans: 5/10
Although his young central defensive partner completely outshined him, Evans threw in a couple of important tackles to help maintain his side’s clean sheet.
After a clumsy first-half tackle was initially adjudged to have been a penalty, the veteran defender would have been relieved to see it changed to a free-kick on the edge of the area following VAR intervention.
James Justin: 7/10
Playing out of position at left-back, the young Englishman was every bit as impressive as Castagne on the opposite flank for Leicester City. Justin bombed forward at every opportunity and playing his part in several slick Leicester City attacks.
Wilfred Ndidi: 7/10
Having opened the scoring with a superbly taken goal early on, the Nigerian proceeded to spend the rest of the game doing what he does best - sitting in front of his defenders and calmly breaking up attack after attack.
Youri Tielemans: 6/10
The young Belgian was the ideal midfield partner for Ndidi, going about his business with a quiet efficiency, winning his fair share of tackles, making a number of interceptions, and keeping the ball moving with minimal fuss and bother.
Marc Albrighton: 6/10
A typically industrious performance from the English winger, who always looked to get the ball into the box as quickly as possible. Albrighton claimed the assist for Maddison’s goal with a hopeful lofted cross.
James Maddison: 8/10
Maddison ontinued his sparkling run of form by scoring for the third league game in a row and ran the show from midfield with a superb display of passing and movement.
Harvey Barnes: 6/10
Barnes was fortunate to have been credited with an assist for the first goal after a complete miskick was diverted into Ndidi’s path early on. However, he put in a typically energetic shift for the rest of the game and carried the ball forward with great attacking intent.
Jamie Vardy: 5/10
Vardy barely got a touch of the ball as he was largely marked out of the game thanks to the close attentions of Thiago Silva. However, his clever runs created lots of space for his midfielders to exploit, which they did to great effect.
Substitutes:
Ricardo Pereira: 5/10
Pereira made a long-awaited return from injury as he replaced Albrighton on the right flank. He got into a couple of promising positions but was unable to make the most of them.
While Pereira will take some time to get back to full match-fitness, Leicester City will undoubtedly be glad for the additional squad depth going into the second half of the season.
Ayoze Perez: 5/10
The Spaniard replaced Maddison late in the second half and got on the ball on a couple of occasions without making much of an impact.
Kelechi Iheanacho: N.A.
Iheanacho replaced Vardy for the final few minutes and hardly got a touch of the ball for Leicester City.