Chelsea survives Leicester scare in Maresca’s King Power Stadium return

Chelsea survived a late scare to secure a 2-1 victory over Leicester City on Saturday, moving to within a point of second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League. The win marked Enzo Maresca’s return to the King Power Stadium, where he led Leicester back to the Premier League last season.

The Blues looked in control after first-half goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez, but a tense finale ensued when Jordan Ayew converted a penalty deep into stoppage time to cut the deficit.

Chelsea’s victory, following back-to-back draws, lifts them to 22 points—just one behind Manchester City and three points clear of fourth-placed Arsenal before the late Saturday fixtures.

Despite the loss, Leicester manager Maresca expressed pride in his team’s performance, especially considering the limited preparation time due to the international break. “The only thing I asked the players before the game was to make a statement about who we are,” Maresca told TNT Sports. “Clubs like Arsenal, Villa, Brighton, United, and Tottenham were watching, expecting us to slip up. We showed we’re here to compete until the end.”

Chelsea seized control from the opening whistle, with Joao Felix—making his first Premier League start of the season—threatening early with two attempts. The breakthrough came when Jackson outmuscled Leicester defender Wout Faes to net the opening goal, setting the tone for the Blues’ strong performance.