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SUB: Ricardo Pereira 5 – Was brought on to add some pace and more of a presence on the right-hand side, but he had little impact. Reuters

CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy 6 – Had very little to do but his distribution was as good as ever. He was left exposed as Iheanacho pulled one back. AFP

Reece James 7 – Had a quiet night defensively, such was Chelsea’s dominance, but his passing was crisp and, at times, into the feet of those in dangerous areas around the Leicester box. AFP

Cesar Azpilicueta 7 – Almost got on the end of a dangerous cross from Werner, but the ball just sped off the surface away from him when he was lurking at the back post. Azpilicueta then returned the favour with a dangerous low cross, but Werner couldn’t get on the end of it. EPA

Thiago Silva 6 – Got on the end of a corner on the half-hour mark but he couldn’t keep it down. A quiet night for the Brazilian. AFP

Antonio Rudiger 8 – Chelsea were mostly on the attack and Rudiger was keen to get in on the action. His striding runs with the ball started many a Chelsea attack, while it was his – albeit fortuitous – touch that gifted the Blues the lead when he converted a corner from close range. Dominant display at both ends. Reuters

Ben Chilwell 7 – The left-back had the first effort of the game, a shot that he dragged across the face of goal. He then supplied the corner that Rudiger bundled home. EPA

Jorginho 6 – Scored Chelsea’s second with a trademark penalty to become the club’s leading scorer in the league with seven, but he lost the ball a couple of times and lacked the urgency of some of his teammates. A solid – if not unspectacular – performance in the middle. EPA

N’Golo Kante 7 – Forced Schmeichel into a smart save with a well-struck shot inside the Leicester area. Limped off after the half-hour mark in a precautionary move by Tuchel. EPA

Mason Mount 8 – Mount was central to Chelsea’s attacks. On the half-hour mark his smart turn and shot forced Schmeichel into a save. He then blazed another effort over the bar before the break after Pulisic had smartly dummied the ball, and then returned the favour with a driving run and cut back that Schmeichel saved at Pulisic’s expense. A constant threat. EPA

Christian Pulisic 7 – Followed Kante’s early shot on goal with an effort on the rebound, but Schmeichel tipped it over the bar. Saw a lot of the ball and found some good positions, though was guilty of sometimes losing the ball in promising areas. EPA

Timo Werner 7 – Delivered a wicked cross in the opening 10 minutes and then twice thought he’d given his side the lead; first when he slotted home on the 21-minute mark, but he was adjudged to have been offside, and then when he handled the ball into the goal with the goal at his mercy. Should have been awarded a penalty when he was scythed down by Tielemans. A tireless performance but his finishing and positioning needs to be better. EPA

SUB: Mateo Kovacic 6 – Kept possession well in the opposing half and was alive to the runs of those ahead of him, but again his passing was, at times, wasteful. AFP

SUB: Kurt Zouma N/A – Came on for the last few minutes to replace the injured Azpilicueta. Reuters

SUB: Olivier Giroud N/A – On in injury time, he didn’t have much of an opportunity to make a difference.

LEICESTER CITY RATINGS: Kasper Schmeichel 7 – Made a smart double save early on, first to stop Kante, and then Pulisic. He was alive to most things Chelsea threw at him, but he couldn’t prevent Rudiger from breaking the deadlock, or Jorginho from converting from the spot. EPA

Timothy Castagne 6 – Put Werner onto his right foot with the German through on goal before making a tremendous last-ditch block. Was under pressure for much of the game, and when defending with Werner on the break again he did enough to ensure Werner’s shot didn’t trouble Schmeichel. AFP

Wesley Fofana 7 – Weathered the pressure well and stuck close to his task throughout.

Caglar Soyuncu 6 – Got away with a late challenge on Pulisic in the first half, which probably warranted a booking. He was dominant in the air and made some key interceptions, though this was probably the most stretched he’s been this season. Reuters

Luke Thomas 4 – The full-back was exposed throughout, particularly in the second half, and it was from his slip that Chelsea won the corner that saw them open the scoring. He was then targeted by Chelsea. A weak link. EPA

Wilfried Ndidi 6 – Ndidi was on the back foot for much of the game but he pressed with his usual diligence. Looked tired. AFP

Youri Tielemans 5 – The FA Cup final goalscorer should have been punished for his foul on Werner inside the area. Couldn’t get into the game. AFP

James Maddison 4 – Not Maddison’s finest match. He struggled in the first half and was often caught in possession. He simply failed to get into the game or make a tangible contribution going forward, and was replaced after an hour. Reuters

Marc Albrighton 5 – Played in the full-back position and was guilty of trying to play the ball over the top, giving the ball away and allowing Chelsea to regain possession. EPA

Ayoze Perez 4 – A poor night for Perez who offered the visitors very little, though he did hit the target with 20 minutes left on the clock, much to ironic cries from the Chelsea faithful. He then had a glorious chance to level late on but he blazed over the bar. EPA

Jamie Vardy 5 – Had a free header on 25 minutes but he couldn’t keep it down and it drifted over the bar. Looked isolated in attack. Reuters

SUB: Kelechi Iheanacho 6 – On as a replacement for Maddison, his pace added more of a presence to the Leicester attack. He had a shot on the turn that drifted just wide moments before he converted to pull a goal back with 14 minutes left to play. It was his 16th goal in 18 appearances. Reuters

SUB: Ricardo Pereira 5 – Was brought on to add some pace and more of a presence on the right-hand side, but he had little impact. Reuters

CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy 6 – Had very little to do but his distribution was as good as ever. He was left exposed as Iheanacho pulled one back. AFP

Reece James 7 – Had a quiet night defensively, such was Chelsea’s dominance, but his passing was crisp and, at times, into the feet of those in dangerous areas around the Leicester box. AFP

Cesar Azpilicueta 7 – Almost got on the end of a dangerous cross from Werner, but the ball just sped off the surface away from him when he was lurking at the back post. Azpilicueta then returned the favour with a dangerous low cross, but Werner couldn’t get on the end of it. EPA

Thiago Silva 6 – Got on the end of a corner on the half-hour mark but he couldn’t keep it down. A quiet night for the Brazilian. AFP

Antonio Rudiger 8 – Chelsea were mostly on the attack and Rudiger was keen to get in on the action. His striding runs with the ball started many a Chelsea attack, while it was his – albeit fortuitous – touch that gifted the Blues the lead when he converted a corner from close range. Dominant display at both ends. Reuters

Ben Chilwell 7 – The left-back had the first effort of the game, a shot that he dragged across the face of goal. He then supplied the corner that Rudiger bundled home. EPA

Jorginho 6 – Scored Chelsea’s second with a trademark penalty to become the club’s leading scorer in the league with seven, but he lost the ball a couple of times and lacked the urgency of some of his teammates. A solid – if not unspectacular – performance in the middle. EPA

N’Golo Kante 7 – Forced Schmeichel into a smart save with a well-struck shot inside the Leicester area. Limped off after the half-hour mark in a precautionary move by Tuchel. EPA

Mason Mount 8 – Mount was central to Chelsea’s attacks. On the half-hour mark his smart turn and shot forced Schmeichel into a save. He then blazed another effort over the bar before the break after Pulisic had smartly dummied the ball, and then returned the favour with a driving run and cut back that Schmeichel saved at Pulisic’s expense. A constant threat. EPA

Christian Pulisic 7 – Followed Kante’s early shot on goal with an effort on the rebound, but Schmeichel tipped it over the bar. Saw a lot of the ball and found some good positions, though was guilty of sometimes losing the ball in promising areas. EPA

Timo Werner 7 – Delivered a wicked cross in the opening 10 minutes and then twice thought he’d given his side the lead; first when he slotted home on the 21-minute mark, but he was adjudged to have been offside, and then when he handled the ball into the goal with the goal at his mercy. Should have been awarded a penalty when he was scythed down by Tielemans. A tireless performance but his finishing and positioning needs to be better. EPA

SUB: Mateo Kovacic 6 – Kept possession well in the opposing half and was alive to the runs of those ahead of him, but again his passing was, at times, wasteful. AFP

SUB: Kurt Zouma N/A – Came on for the last few minutes to replace the injured Azpilicueta. Reuters

SUB: Olivier Giroud N/A – On in injury time, he didn’t have much of an opportunity to make a difference.

LEICESTER CITY RATINGS: Kasper Schmeichel 7 – Made a smart double save early on, first to stop Kante, and then Pulisic. He was alive to most things Chelsea threw at him, but he couldn’t prevent Rudiger from breaking the deadlock, or Jorginho from converting from the spot. EPA

Timothy Castagne 6 – Put Werner onto his right foot with the German through on goal before making a tremendous last-ditch block. Was under pressure for much of the game, and when defending with Werner on the break again he did enough to ensure Werner’s shot didn’t trouble Schmeichel. AFP

Wesley Fofana 7 – Weathered the pressure well and stuck close to his task throughout.

Caglar Soyuncu 6 – Got away with a late challenge on Pulisic in the first half, which probably warranted a booking. He was dominant in the air and made some key interceptions, though this was probably the most stretched he’s been this season. Reuters

Luke Thomas 4 – The full-back was exposed throughout, particularly in the second half, and it was from his slip that Chelsea won the corner that saw them open the scoring. He was then targeted by Chelsea. A weak link. EPA

Wilfried Ndidi 6 – Ndidi was on the back foot for much of the game but he pressed with his usual diligence. Looked tired. AFP

Youri Tielemans 5 – The FA Cup final goalscorer should have been punished for his foul on Werner inside the area. Couldn’t get into the game. AFP

James Maddison 4 – Not Maddison’s finest match. He struggled in the first half and was often caught in possession. He simply failed to get into the game or make a tangible contribution going forward, and was replaced after an hour. Reuters

Marc Albrighton 5 – Played in the full-back position and was guilty of trying to play the ball over the top, giving the ball away and allowing Chelsea to regain possession. EPA

Ayoze Perez 4 – A poor night for Perez who offered the visitors very little, though he did hit the target with 20 minutes left on the clock, much to ironic cries from the Chelsea faithful. He then had a glorious chance to level late on but he blazed over the bar. EPA

Jamie Vardy 5 – Had a free header on 25 minutes but he couldn’t keep it down and it drifted over the bar. Looked isolated in attack. Reuters

SUB: Kelechi Iheanacho 6 – On as a replacement for Maddison, his pace added more of a presence to the Leicester attack. He had a shot on the turn that drifted just wide moments before he converted to pull a goal back with 14 minutes left to play. It was his 16th goal in 18 appearances. Reuters

SUB: Ricardo Pereira 5 – Was brought on to add some pace and more of a presence on the right-hand side, but he had little impact. Reuters

Chelsea v Leicester player ratings: Antonio Rudiger 8, Jorginho 6; Ayoze Perez 4, Jamie Vardy 5

Blues exact revenge for FA Cup final defeat and put themselves in pole position for top-four finish

Nick Judd

May 19, 2021

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