Match ends, Leicester City 2, Chelsea 2.
LeicesterLeicester City2ChelseaChelsea2
Leicester and Chelsea played out an entertaining Premier League draw in a see-saw encounter at King Power Stadium.
The result means the Foxes stay third in the table, eight points above Chelsea in fourth.
After a largely uneventful first half, the game came to life just after the break when Antonio Rudiger headed Chelsea in front from Mason Mount's corner.
Brendan Rodgers' team levelled eight minutes later, Harvey Barnes' effort deflecting off Blues defender Reece James into the top-right corner.
And Rodgers looked to be heading towards a first win over Chelsea at the 14th attempt as a manager when Ben Chilwell swept a Youri Tielemans cross into the bottom left corner.
But Rudiger's second headed goal of the day - from another Mount delivery - ensured Frank Lampard's side claimed a point.
Chelsea underline top-four credentials
Chelsea started this match a place higher but eight points worse off than at the corresponding stage last season.
And although Lampard has recently talked of his side being "underdogs" in the race for Champions League qualification, it is difficult to see which teams below them are capable of bridging the gap.
Lampard will have been delighted by the way his side took charge at the start of each half and then, when they fell behind to a transformed Leicester team, had the resolve to fight back to earn a merited point.
The outcome in part also vindicated Lampard's decision to drop the world's most expensive goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, in favour of Willy Caballero.
At 38, the Argentine is heading towards the twilight of his career but he made a superb save early on to deny Jamie Vardy his 18th goal of the season and, although his decision to charge away from goal in pursuit of a cross in the build-up to Chilwell's goal was an aberration, he was otherwise solid.
Caballero brilliantly saved Chilwell's deflected cross, moments after Barnes' equaliser, and appeared a calming influence on Rudiger and Andreas Christensen when his side came under pressure.
Leicester's dip?
This was another Leicester performance in which they struggled to maintain the high standards they set earlier in the campaign.
Since winning comfortably at Newcastle on 1 January, the Foxes have collected only four points from a possible 12.
And although they took charge after Barnes had equalised and went on to lead, their authority was fleeting.
Barnes steered a glorious chance wide when through on Caballero, and Jonny Evans headed wide from a corner, but they never appeared fully in control.
Rodgers' side appeared to be suffering a hangover from their Carabao Cup defeat by Aston Villa on Tuesday - making sluggish starts in each half.
But for the excellence of Evans - particularly in the first period - they could have be punished on at least five occasions.
The former Manchester United and West Brom defender made a series of excellent tackles and interceptions, with his only blot misdirecting a late chance to win the game.
However, the Foxes still have a considerable cushion to Chelsea, with the teams below that even further away from threatening their place in next season's Champions League.
Man of the match - Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea)
'Not many people gave us the top-four slot' - what they said
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers talking to BBC Match of the Day: "We're disappointed not to have won the game. I thought we started both halves slow.
"We should have won having gone 2-1 up. We gifted them two goals really, which we're disappointed with. Our concentration and organisation wasn't quick enough in one or two players. But what we did was show a fantastic mentality to come from behind against a really good side with top-level players.
"Against a top team it might be deemed a good result but we should win that game. But they've come from a tough game in midweek and battled to get a point.
"These players are still learning and still young and there's elements we will be better in going forward. It was a great fight today - we worked our way into the game with some real moments of quality and eventually played very well.
"It's been a long period form December. We'll go away, come back and get back to being consistent."
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard talking to BBC Match of the Day: "We were the better team in the first half, in terms of how we moved the ball, and we created some gilt-edged chances. In the second half we weren't so fluid and they created some good chances themselves.
"Toni Rudiger and Andreas Christensen were really good. Toni was aggressive - the second goal is a really great header - so I'm really pleased with him."
On Willy Caballero: "His performance was pretty good - he makes a good save, he's comfortable with his feet, there was not much you could do with either goal."
Chelsea still underdogs for the top four: "We were underdogs at the start of the season. Not many people gave us the top-four slot and I understand why, and it's probably the same now. We've come to Leicester, who everyone's raving about, quite rightly, and we've got a point. We move on."
Barnes' hot streak - the stats
- Leicester have now dropped eight points from winning positions in their past four Premier League games - more than they had in their previous 59 matches from the start of the 2018-19 campaign (6).
- Chelsea's 13 Premier League away games this season have seen 49 goals scored (F27 A22) - no other sides have seen more on the road (level with Manchester City).
- This was the sixth Premier League game this season that Chelsea failed to win despite scoring the first goal (D5 L1) - only West Ham (7) have failed to win more games in which they've opened the scoring this season (pending results of 15:00 kick-offs).
- Leicester's Harvey Barnes has scored in three consecutive league games for the first time in his senior career - he'd found the net in just two of his first 39 games in the competition.
- Antionio Rudiger became the first defender to score twice in a Premier League match for Chelsea since John Terry did so against Fulham in April 2013.
- At 38 years 126 days, Chelsea keeper Willy Caballero became the oldest player to appear in the Premier League so far this season.
What's next?
Leicester travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers for their next Premier League game on Friday, 14 February (20:00 GMT). Chelsea host Manchester United in their next Premier League game on Monday, 17 February (20:00 GMT).
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Schmeichel
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 6EvansBooked at 90mins
- 4Söyüncü
- 3Chilwell
- 20Choudhury
- 17Pérez
- 8TielemansSubstituted forPraetat 80'minutes
- 10MaddisonBooked at 61mins
- 15Barnes
- 9VardySubstituted forIheanachoat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Justin
- 7Gray
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 14Iheanacho
- 26Praet
- 28Fuchs
Chelsea
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Caballero
- 24James
- 4Christensen
- 2Rüdiger
- 28Azpilicueta
- 7Kanté
- 5JorginhoBooked at 56minsSubstituted forKovacicat 74'minutesBooked at 76mins
- 20Hudson-Odoi
- 19Mount
- 11PedroSubstituted forWillianat 74'minutes
- 9AbrahamSubstituted forBarkleyat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 3Alonso
- 8Barkley
- 10Willian
- 17Kovacic
- 23Batshuayi
- 29Tomori
- Referee:
- Lee Mason
- Attendance:
- 32,186
Match Stats
Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamChelsea
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home4
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Leicester City 2, Chelsea 2.
Post update
Offside, Leicester City. James Maddison tries a through ball, but Kelechi Iheanacho is caught offside.
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Mason Mount (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City).
Booking
Jonny Evans (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Dennis Praet (Leicester City).
Post update
N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Dennis Praet.
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Çaglar Söyüncü (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Willian (Chelsea).
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Ross Barkley replaces Tammy Abraham.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Jamie Vardy.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Dennis Praet replaces Youri Tielemans.
Post update
Attempt missed. Harvey Barnes (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jamie Vardy with a through ball following a fast break.
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Attempt missed. Jonny Evans (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by James Maddison with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Tammy Abraham.
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Attempt blocked. James Maddison (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Comments
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What a great game, two honest and hardworking sides, not too bogged down in negative tactics, just trying to win a game of football by scoring more than the opposition.
Very little play acting, a decent sprinkling of young english talent, very refreshing
Thanks Frank & Brendan, lets hope you can secure those last two CL spots
Fair play to Leicester they may have had a blip of late but great season for them, and also for Chelsea under Frank for the first year !!
Both teams miles better than Spurs and Arsenal, nice to see a new top four !!
You are so wrong. The most hated team is Spurs purely because of the inane comments of their fans on HYS
I think both will be happy with a point.
Yes, Chelsea missed a few chances in the first half but we really should have won that.
Good game to watch though.
You are closer to relegation than 3rd place.
And not with a 3rd rate striker who is still in China.