FOXES MADD FOR A TITLE FIGHT

It’s summit special for Brendan’s boys as his side go top but it’s more woe for Lamps

THE last time Leicester City beat Chelsea at the King Power Stadium, in December 2015, Jose Mourinho paid for it with his job.

Two days after accusing his players of a “betrayal” he was on his way.

Defeat last night at the hands of a vibrant Leicester side who moved top of the Premier League with goals from Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison did not prompt Frank Lampard to follow suit.

But the possibility of a similar outcome if he cannot turn things around soon must be close. Better teams than Lampard’s expensively assembled but strangely dysfunctional outfit will find themselves bettered here this season.

While Brendan Rodgers’ side will likely surrender top spot to one of both of the Manchester sides later this evening, in this sort of form they are a handful.

But they were given a helping hand buy a Chelsea who were continuing a miserable run of form – with seven points from the last 24 – which is heaping pressure on Lampard’s shoulders.

Remarkably, this was a first win against Chelsea by Rodgers at his 16th attempt and a victory that provided further evidence that he has a side capable of challenging the Big Six orthodoxy.

Chelsea improved their intensity in the second half but only when Leicester were already over the horizon.

Leicester had their noses in front early capitalising on a disorganised start from the Chelsea rearguard.

Harvey Barnes had floated a cross over from the left byline which Chelsea managed only to bundle away for a corner. And they were asleep when Maddison and Marc Albrighton worked it short, the latter cutting it back towards the edge of the box where Ndidi was lurking.

A swing and a miss from Barnes as the ball went through perhaps wrong-footed the Chelsea defence and there was little they could do with the finish, Ndidi’s leftfoot half-volley flying in off the post.

But the sense of panic at the back was tangible. And Leicester sensed it. The Foxes

might have doubled their lead 10 minutes later, Maddison grazing the upper side of the bar from distance.

Chelsea had a couple of chances to level Reece James and Thiago Silva bringing blocks from Kasper Schmeichel.

But they were largely fleeting and flimsy in their threats going forward.

Chelsea’s problem were not solely in defence.

Time and again Kai Havertz was all too easily brushed off the ball in midfield, leaving Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic chasing shadows.

The sense this was not to be their night was compounded shortly before half-time as a penalty was awarded when Jonny Evans clipped Christian Pulisic but was downgraded by VAR to a free-kick on the edge of the area.

After Mount’s effort sailed harmlessly over Leicester promptly turned the goal-kick into a quick counter-attack, Albrighton hitting a long ball into Chelsea’s box which Maddison finished past Edouard Mendy on the halfvolley.

The contrast between the two sides was marked.

Leicester hunted in packs out of possession and moved the ball with a zip going forward.

And while Chelsea improved after the break whatever they threw at them they dealt, Wesley Fofana’s superb block on Tammy Abraham the highlight.

Lampard shook things up taking off the ineffectual Havertz and Callum Hudsonodoi and adding urgency with Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.

But Leicester responded by passing around them with even greater fluency. James Justin and Jamie Vardy had chances after flowing moves as victory was completed.