Internet Desk: Premier League giants Chelsea cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over last year’s champions Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Victor Moses were on the score sheet for the Blues.
In form Diego Costa gave Chelsea the all important lead after just seven minutes. Eden Hazard stretched the lead from rebound after David Luiz free kick striked the post in the 33rd minute. Victor Moses sealed the fate for Blues in the 79th minute as his shot went past Kasper Schmeichel at the near post.
Chelsea started the game like a side needing to prove a point and they did that to good effect, much to the delight of under pressure manager Antonio Conte.
Conte deployed his favoured 3-4-3 formation against the Premier League Champions, giving Leicester strike duo Jamie Vardy and Ahmed Musa no joy at all.
It took the Blues just seven minutes to open the scoring, when Wes Morgan and Marc Albrighton were caught ball watching during a corner-kick just after Kasper Schmeichel made a sharp save at his near-post from Victor Moses to concede the corner.The corner came in low with midfielder Nemanja Matic flicking it on with his foot and Diego Costa – totally unmarked at the back post – had all the space in the world to hammer it home.
Chelsea were in cruise control after scoring, with Matic and N’golo Kante enjoying the freedom to roam in front of their area.
Chelsea managed to extend the lead in the 33rd minute. Matic passed a through ball to Pedro, who somehow managed to knock the ball on while on the ground, allowing the onrushing Eden Hazard to round Foxes keeper Schmeichel before firing into an unguarded net.
Having failed to match their opponents in the first half, Leicester redoubled their efforts after the break as they looked to reduce the deficit. Ahmed Musa and Marc Albrighton both had a chance to pull one back in the early stages of the second stanza, but failed to hit the target.
And they were made to rue those missed chances as Chelsea went on to add a third with ten minutes remaining, Moses adding his name to the score sheet with smart finish at the near post.
Chelsea had one last chance to add another goal to their tally in the closing stages of the contest, but left-back Marcos Alonso fired high and wide from the left side of the box after collecting a neat pass from Costa.
The Blues are now placed at the 5th position with 16 points from 8 matches. Manchester City lead the table with 18 points from 7 matches.