Morata is head of the class for vibrant Chelsea
THREE wins on the spin and another goal from Alvaro Morata and Chelsea’s summer crisis faded a little further into the distance.
True enough, the Premier League champions did not have things all their own way at Leicester. There were times when their nerves jangled in this high-energy duel but they survived the scares, defended like they meant it and proved clinical in front of goal.
Record-signing Morata took his goal tally to three in three starts up front and Eden Hazard returned from injury with a classy cameo from the bench.
Tiemoue Bakayoko is looking stronger and fitter in tandem with N’ Go lo K an te, last season’s Footballer of the Year, who scored Chelsea’s second goal here and was typically flawless in the heart of midfield.
Jamie Vardy looks back to his best and Craig Shakespeare’s merchant of menace pulled one back from the spot, but Leicester could not summon the equaliser.
Antonio Conte marched across the pitch punching the air after the final whistle as he was serenaded by travelling fans. Once again, Conte is the king and his team have the power. They stalk the Manchester clubs at the top of the table as if the internal strife generated by missed transfers, the exiling of Diego Costa and an opening- day defeat at home by Burnley never happened.
As they prepare once again for the Champions League, Chelsea have an ominous look about them.
‘The mentality was very strong and positive,’ said Conte. ‘We must be satisfied. It is a good day for the team and for Alvaro. It is always important for the striker to score and, for me, very important to see he is improving and more involved in our idea of football.’
Shakespeare could not have asked much more of his team and it might have been different had Islam Slimani finished a glorious chance moments before Morata broke the deadlock. Morata had been denied by Kasper Schmeichel in t he opening minutes and was let down by his own t ouch when Cesc Fabregas split Leicester’s defence with a clipped pass.
Morata then saw two efforts blocked by Wes Morgan before he struck, after the game had swung from one end to the other and back again.
First, Leicester launched a counter-attack, when Kante was dispossessed by Slimani. Riyad Mahrez carried the ball at speed to the edge of the Chelsea penalty box, feigned to release Vardy and pulled a reverse pass into the path of Slimani, who had continued his run. There was only Thibaut Courtois to beat but the goalkeeper was composed, stayed on his feet and denied Slimani with a firm right hand.
The ricochet hit the Leicester striker and bounced behind for a goal kick. Seconds later, Chelsea were celebrating.
Cesar Azpilicueta delivered a curling cross from deep on the right and Morata peeled away into Morgan’s blind- spot to apply a clinical header at the back post.
‘The big moments are not going our way,’ said Shakespeare, having taken only three points from a daunting first four games, which included fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.
For Morata, it was a third goal since his £70.6 million move from Real Madrid — all of them headers — and he has a fine understanding with fellow Spaniard Azpilicueta.
This goal threw the game open. Leicester careered forward and Shakespeare made a double change at half-time ‘to get his dribblers on the ball’ but they could not prevent Chelsea easing further ahead.
Kante was the unlikely goal hero and appeared slightly embarrassed when his low drive from 25 yards found the net, via a deflection and a bump into the foot of a post.
There was little pace on the shot but it evaded Morata and Harry Maguire, who may have hindered Schmeichel’ s view, and was perfectly placed in the corner. ‘It’s always a pleasure to score but I keep it inside,’ said Kante of his muted celebration. ‘ I want to respect my old team. I had an amazing year here but when I come I try to win. Today was important.’
Two down but Leicester refused accept the inevitable and were back in the contest when Vardy read a back-pass from Azpilicueta and beat Courtois to it before he was tripped.
Over went the England striker and referee Lee Mason made the right call, despite protests from Chelsea. Vardy slammed in the penalty — his 11th goal in 17 Premier League appearances under Shakespeare — and the home crowd detected a chance to get something out of the game.
Andy King, on at half- t i me, headed wide and the champions were hustled from their stride by Leicester pressure.
Conte sent on Davide Zappacosta, signed from Torino on deadline day, for his debut and Eden Hazard, his first appearance for his club since breaking an ankle on international duty in June.
The changes made a difference. Zappacosta almost scored and Hazard restored control with his quality in possession, and drew the sting from the Leicester fightback as Chelsea took the points.