.
Nicolas Jackson’s seventh goal of the season gave the visitors a deserved lead after 15 minutes, with the Senagalese international steering a superb outside of the boot effort past Mads Hermansen in the home goal.
Noni Madueke had a free-flowing second ruled out by VAR – with Marc Cucurella offside in the build-up to the goal – but it didn’t matter as Enzo Fernandez, the provider of Jackson’s opener, secured the points with a close-range header 15 minutes from full-time.
It could, and perhaps should, have been more for Chelsea – who strengthened their place inside the Premier League’s top three with the victory – especially as Cole Palmer comically had a certain goal blocked on the line by team-mate Madueke.
In the end, Chelsea had to settle for a win by the odd goal as Jordan Ayew netted a stoppage-time penalty for Leicester after a foul by substitute Romeo Lavia on Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
Here’s the four main talking points from the east Midlands.
Nicolas Jackson’s £32m arrival at Chelsea last summer was met with widespread derision.
Sure, 12 goals in 35 games for Villarreal wasn’t an incredible record by any stretch of the imagination, but still not bad for a player who was only 21 by the time his final La Liga campaign came to an end.
Chelsea’s belief in Jackson seemingly wasn’t iron clad either, evidenced by their relentless pursuit of Victor Osimhen and any other established ‘number nine’ who needed a move.
But in Jackson, Chelsea have found an absolute gem. He lacked efficiency in his first season at Stamford Bridge, despite scoring 14 Premier League goals, but now looks to have put all of the pieces together. He’s just suddenly worked it out.
Be it bursting through on the counter with pace, putting a …
Read More
