By Goal.com News on Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Category: Goal.com News

LIVE: Chelsea vs Leicester

The top-four race will go right down to the wire, then, as Chelsea visit Aston Villa and Leicester host Tottenham on the final day of the season. Leicester especially will be hoping that Burnley do them a favour. If not, then Liverpool may end up having the last laugh. That's all for now. Goodbye!

Chelsea's victory lifts them to third in the Premier League, just one point above Leicester in fourth. This result confirms that Manchester United will finish second. If Liverpool win away to Burnley this week they'll go ahead of Leicester on goal difference. Leicester were second-best here and Rodgers needs to calm his side quickly if they don't want to throw away a Champions League spot two years in a row.

Chelsea get revenge over Leicester City by condemning them to a nervy final day! Chelsea were deserved winners after controlling most of the game. Leicester led a charmed life until the second half when Rudiger broke the deadlock from a corner and Jorginho sealed the win from the penalty spot. Iheanacho came off the bench to pull a goal back for Leicester, but by then the damage was already done.

90' + 9' FULL-TIME: CHELSEA 2-1 LEICESTER CITY

90' + 7' Giroud challenges Fofana unfairly and Leicester have one more chance to get forward. The attack comes to nothing though and Chelsea get payback for the FA Cup final!

90' + 3' Pereira closes Chilwell down too aggressively and the free-kick goes Chelsea's way. Pereira pushes the intruding Rudiger and suddenly all the players and coaching staff get involved! Leicester are letting their emotions get the better of them.

90' Chelsea have five minutes to hang on for what would be a very welcome three points. The home side's hearts are in their mouths as Perez fires over from the centre of the box! Pereira had managed to fizz a cross to him.

85' Castagne hands Chelsea a corner, intercepting Pulisic's mazy run towards goal. Leicester head James' corner away.

84' James whips in the set-piece from the flank but Leicester do a decent job of clearing it.

81' Iheanacho has given Leicester added impetus up front. Pereira nods the ball down for the forward who inspires a save from Mendy from outside the box.

79' Pereira puts a stop to Chilwell's run down Chelsea's left. The free-kick comes in and Silva's header is blocked. Werner fires wide from the near post.

78' Iheanacho has become the first player in Premier League history to score a goal on all seven days of the week in a single season. He's been there when Leicester have needed him.

75' Chance for Leicester! Perez receives a pass on the edge of Chelsea's box and lays off to Iheanacho. The Nigeria shifts the ball onto his left foot and fires wide of the right-hand post.

73' Chelsea knock the ball around at the back as they enter game management mode. Pulisic buys a foul off the pressing Soyuncu.

71' Perez's effort from outside the box lands safely into the arms of Mendy. Perez fouls Kovacic in Chelsea's half seconds later.

69' Leicester are finally starting to find their shooting boots but it feels like it's probably too late. Tielemans whips a cross into the box and Vardy nods straight into a covering defender.

68' Only Frank Lampard in 2009-10 has scored more penalties in a single Premier League season for Chelsea than Jorginho. The Italian has scored seven this campaign.

65' PENALTY TO CHELSEA! On second viewing, Fofana definitely hacked at Werner inside the box. There's no doubt that it's a penalty and Chelsea will get the chance to double their lead.

65' Werner is caught by Fofana in the penalty area, eventually going down just outside it. The officials take a look at it again to see whether Chelsea should get a penalty...

64' As Leicester's second corner is cleared Chelsea look to break upfield quickly with Werner going it alone into Leicester's box. Werner gets his shot away but it's a comfortable catch for Schmeichel.

62' Leicester show more attacking purpose, winning two corners in a row. Once more, they cause Chelsea no problems whatsoever.

59' Rudiger carries the ball over the halfway line and is soon taken out by Tielemans. Leicester will make that substitution now.

57' Iheanacho discards his coat and gets ready to come on. Werner wins a free-kick as he's brought down by Fofana.

55' Rodgers is speaking with Iheanacho in the technical area. It looks like it's only a matter of time until the Nigerian comes on. Leicester need some sort of goal threat.

53' Leicester get a free-kick down their right as Mount brings down Perez. Tielemans has yet to worry Chelsea from set-pieces and again Chelsea prove they're up to the test by heading it out for a throw-in.

51' Mount tangles legs with Perez while trying to dispossess the Spaniard and ends up needing to receive treatment. It's bad news for Mount and bad news for England if the midfielder is seriously injured with the Euros a few weeks away. Thankfully Mount soon gets to his feet.

49' If that doesn't rouse Leicester from their slumber they're in trouble. Each of Rudiger's last three Premier League goals have come against Leicester now. He's scored more Premier League goals against them than he has against any other team.

45' Leicester get the second half underway. No changes at half-time.

Chelsea had 11 shots to Leicester's one in the first half, that being Vardy's flick off-target from a corner. Vardy touched the ball just six times in the opening 45 minutes as Leicester's switch to a 5-4-1 has left him largely peripheral. Leicester need to perk up in the second half if they're to get the result they need.

The supporters at Stamford Bridge boo as the players head in for the break. Chelsea have dominated this game so far with Werner having two goals disallowed, one for offside and another for handball. Leicester look groggy from celebrating their cup victory and are lucky not to have been punished yet for it.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: CHELSEA 0-0 LEICESTER CITY

45' There'll be two minutes added onto the end of this first half. Leicester will be glad to reach half-time unscathed.

44' Leicester are yet to click in open play having switched to a 5-4-1 with Maddison and Perez on the flanks. Perez fizzes the ball across the penalty area but no one is there to get on the end of it. 

42' Mount drifts between two Leicester defenders and cuts back for Pulisic who's running into the six-yard box. Schmeichel rushes to block from a tight angle and the ball rebounds off Pulisic to get Leicester a goal-kick.

41' Tielemans sends the corner into the box and Leicester get another corner. Chelsea clear at the second attempt and Perez handles the ball to give them a free-kick.

39' Werner has a shot blocked in the centre of the box. Leicester win a corner down their left as Chelsea stop Vardy reaching Maddison's cross at the far post. Tielemans will take it.

37' Chelsea try to get over their disappointment quickly as Mount fires over from Azpilicueta's pass. Leicester have done next to nothing going forward.

35' NO GOAL FOR CHELSEA! The check is complete. Werner accidentally handled the ball as he guided it into the net. That's three goals Chelsea have had disallowed in the last few days against Leicester. It's getting slightly funny now. Chelsea fans chant their displeasure.

34' GOAL FOR CHELSEA? James' shot from outside the box is blocked by Tielemans. Chelsea get another corner down their left which Azpilicueta takes. The Spaniard finds Werner at the far post who nods it home! Hang on, VAR are looking at a possible handball by Werner...

33' Werner darts into the box and has his shot blocked by Castagne. Chelsea get the corner.

30' Werner has been caught offside 41 times in all competitions this season, more than any other Premier League player. The German's still not a seamless fit for Chelsea yet.

28' Silva heads over the bar from the corner. Chelsea are preparing Kovacic to come on. One of their players must have an injury issue.

27' Chelsea get another chance at goal as Mount dribbles down the inside-left channel. The England midfielder can't get a shot away initially but lashes at Schmeichel on the follow-up, forcing the keeper to give away a corner. 

25' Pulisic beats one man but can't get past the alert Ndidi. The American loses out seconds later and Leicester try to free Vardy on the counter but the pass is too powerful for the striker to reach.

24' Leicester retain possession and earn a corner as James clears the ball from Soyuncu in the box. Tielemans' corner finds Vardy whose cheeky flick goes over the crossbar.

23' Tielemans goes down under pressure from Mount down Leicester's left. Thomas swings the free-kick in but it doesn't beat the first man.

21' Werner slots past Schmeichel from the centre of the box after receiving a pass from Mount but the offside flag goes straight up. Tuchel initially celebrates then dismisses the decision with a waft of hs arm.

20' Having fans back in the ground is really making a difference. With no away fans here, Chelsea fans are challenging every decision and that is fuelling their players.

18' Werner takes a tumble on the edge of the penalty area as Tielemans catches him while trying to clear. The referee gives the free-kick Leicester's way.

17' Mount goes down in Leicester's half and Chelsea take the free-kick quickly but Leicester have already regrouped. It looks like Leicester are going to be defending for much of this game, just as they did in the FA Cup final.

16' Soyuncu leaves Pulisic on the turf by sliding into him from behind. It doesn't look intentional as Soyuncu loses his footing and slips. The referee keeps his cards in his pocket.

14' Pulisic gets down the right and skips past Soyuncu into the penalty area but the American fouls the covering Thomas.

12' James positions himself well to prevent Vardy winning a header in Chelsea's penalty area. Leicester have been under pressure in the opening 10 minutes but appear to have ridden it out for now.

10' Chelsea don't achieve much with the corner but still have the ball. Pulisic sends Azpilicueta running down the right. Azpilicueta rolls an inviting cross in front of the six-yard box but Pulisic is a touch too slow to reach it.

8' Kante jinks into the box and powers a shot at Schmeichel that the Leicester goalkeeper pushes aside. The ball comes back to Pulisic whose shot from the penalty spot goes over the crossbar. It's taken a deflection along the way so Chelsea get a corner.

6' James picks up possession deep in midfield and trundles a shot wide from outside the box. Leicester have barely had chance to breathe yet.

5' Chelsea come on the attack again. Azpilicueta nearly latches onto a crossfield pass inside the box but the Chelsea captain can't get his head onto the end of it.

3' Chelsea aren't messing around. They want vengeance. Werner darts through midfield and slips Chilwell into the left of the box. Chilwell shoots first-time and drags his shot just wide of the far post.

2' Leicester win a free-kick down their right as Chilwell impedes Perez. Tielemans' floater into the box is blocked. Albrighton, making his 200th Premier League appearance for Leicester here, picks up the pieces and his cross is cleared.

1' The referee blows his whistle and the game gets underway! The Chelsea fans let out an almighty roar. It's good to see and hear them again.

The two teams are out on Stamford Bridge. As it was at Wembley, Chelsea are in their traditional royal blue shirts and shorts, Leicester are in their maroon third kit, and there are fans in the ground.

Leicester have already beaten Chelsea twice this season, beating them 2-0 in the reverse fixture back in January before last weekend's cup victory. A first league double over Chelsea since 2000-01 would be very welcome for them. Chelsea haven't beaten Leicester in their last six Premier League meetings. Can Chelsea get revenge and dent Leicester's Champions League hopes?

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel makes three changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Wembley three days ago. Mendy returns in goal while Chilwell and Pulisic replace Alonso and Ziyech. Brendan Rodgers makes two changes to Leicester's 11 from that game. Albrighton replaces the injured Evans while Maddison starts ahead of Iheanacho.

SUBS: Danny Ward, Wes Morgan, Ricardo Pereira, Christian Fuchs, Kelechi Iheanacho, Dennis Praet, Daniel Amartey, Nampalys Mendy, Hamza Choudhury.

LEICESTER CITY (3-4-1-2): Kasper Schmeichel (c): Timothy Castagne, Wesley Fofana, Caglar Soyuncu; Marc Albrighton, Youri Tielemans, Wilfred Ndidi, Luke Thomas; James Maddison; Ayoze Perez, Jamie Vardy.

SUBS: Kurt Zouma, Tammy Abraham, Mateo Kovacic, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Hakim Ziyech, Olivier Giroud, Emerson, Marcos Alonso, Callum Hudson-Odoi.

CHELSEA (3-4-3): Edouard Mendy; Reece James, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rüdiger; Cesar Azpilicueta (c), N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Ben Chilwell; Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Mason Mount.

A win for Chelsea here would allow them to leapfrog Leicester into third place and give the Blues a cushion on the final day. Victory for Leicester, meanwhile, would ensure a top-four finish for the Foxes for only the second time in the Premier League era. With a resurgent Liverpool coming up behind, this is a game that neither side can afford to lose.

Just a few days ago, Leicester defeated Chelsea at Wembley to win the first FA Cup in the club's history. Now these two meet again in a match that will go a long way towards deciding who will finish in the top four and play in the Champions League next season.

Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of this crucial Premier League match between Chelsea and Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.

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