WORLD XI BACKS UP VIEW
The left-back scored twice – his second with the aid of a Wes Morgan deflection – as the champions-elect beat the title holders. So Chelsea returned to winning ways after their streak of 13 successive league wins was ended at Tottenham.
It was also the night when Chelsea boss Antonio Conte won the battle of the Italian managers against former Stamford Bridge chief Claudio Ranieri.
Incredibly, it was a result which leaves Leicester – last season’s shock champions – still with relegation concerns.
That should not happen – but they were very much second best against the team who are firm favourites to succeed them as Premier League champions.
The gulf in class was underlined in the 70th minute, when Pedro headed in after Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel had diverted Willian’s shot into his path.
Earlier, Leicester’s fans lit up the King Power Stadium in the 10th minute with their mobile phones in tribute to club ambassador Alan Birchenall, 71.
The former Foxes player, who wore the No.10 shirt, suffered a heart attack last week and watched the match from his hospital bed.
And the game was almost lit up for Leicester in the first minute, when Ahmed Musa was close to giving the Foxes a flying start.
His right-foot strike as he cut in from the left, however, was blocked by the body of Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois.
But just four minutes later the visitors surged into the lead. After a spell of possession, the ball broke to Eden Hazard, leading the line in the absence of Diego Costa.
And the Belgian set up Alonso for a crisp right-foot finish into the far corner of the net.
N’Golo Kante, busy as ever in midfield, then upset the fans of his former club with a challenge on Nampalys Mendy.
It was a night when Ranieri operated with three at the back in an attempt to match Conte’s successful system.
But Leicester often lived dangerously defensively against the slick attacking of Hazard, Willian and Pedro.
At the other end, though, a low, driven cross from the right by Jamie Vardy had Chelsea in trouble.
Courtois could only palm the ball out and Chelsea were fortunate that there was no Leicester player on hand to capitalise.
Conte’s side, though, could have increased their lead before the half-time break with a free-kick move straight from the training ground.
David Luiz, rather than shooting, rolled the ball to Hazard, who set up a chance with a first-time pass to JOSE MOURINHO has into night turned his squad winter.The owls to cope with introduced Man United boss sessions early evening training went back at the when the clocks It was part of his end of October. with the thorough preparation, being majority of matches in played under floodlights at lower temperatures this time of the year. Pedro – but the Spaniard screwed his shot wide of the target. Chelsea’s control was such at times that they kept the ball, pass after pass, for a full two minutes at the beginning of the second half, without a Leicester player getting a touch. And they increased their lead in the 50th minute when the ball dropped invitingly for Alonso to hit a shot, this time with his favoured left-foot. His effort from the edge of the box took a deflection off Leicester captain Morgan to give Schmeichel no chance. Amazingly, Alonso almost struck again with a left-foot volley which flew inches wide. Eventually Chelsea coasted home, although Courtois had to make a rare save late on from Christian Fuchs’ left-foot effort. Centre-back Gary Cahill said: “That was a very professional solid performance by us after the Spurs game. We prepared well and deserved that. “It is all about bouncing back and I’m proud that we produced a performance like that.” Foxes boss Ranieri said: “Today we made a good performance but we lost – that is football. “The changes I made were effective, if you take out the first two goals we played at same level as them. “We played counter-attack and pressed high but it we had not conceded those goals it would have been another match.” ALAN SHEARER can afford to have a smug smile on his face at the moment.
The Premier League’s all-time record scorer with 260 goals caused controversy this season when he claimed there is only ONE world class player currently playing in this country. That player, according to former Newcastle and England striker Shearer, is Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero. The Premier League is the richest league in the world and also regarded as the best.
It’s certainly the most competitive. But Shearer (below) is entitled to think he’s got it right after last week’s announcement of the FIFA FifPro world team of the year. That’s because no player from the Premier League received enough votes to make that dream team.
The side was chosen by players from 69 countries and includes four former Premier League men – Cristiano Ronaldo, Gerard Pique, Luka Modric and Luis Suarez.
The side in full is: Neuer (Bayern Munich); Alves (Juventus), Ramos (R Madrid), Pique (Barca), Marcelo (R Madrid); Modric (R Madrid), Kroos (R Madrid), Iniesta (Barca); Messi (Barca), Suarez (Barca), Ronaldo (Real).
Manchester United’s Paul Pogba lost out by only two votes for a midfield place. PAUL HETHERINGTON