Leicester back on top of EPL
LONDON: Five years after achieving the unthinkable, Leicester City has returned to the top of the English Premier League standings again to make another improbable run at the title.
For bigspending Chelsea and manager Frank Lampard, any ambitions of winning the league already appear to be dashed as concerns grow over a worrying form slump.
The Foxes beat the Blues 20 to jump above the two Manchester clubs, United and City, and reach the midway stage of their league campaign two points clear of their closest rivals.
Even if their latest time at the summit lasts just one night — United and City are both in action this morning, after all — Leicester is showing it means business.
Just like in the 201516 season, when the team managed by Claudio Ranieri famously delivered one of the biggest underdog triumphs in sporting history to win the league at odds of 50001.
Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison scored the firsthalf goals against Chelsea, with Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester extending its unbeaten run in the league to six games, the past three being wins.
‘‘I thought it was a very good performance . . . The players have won a lot of games this season against big teams, big opponents and you see a maturity in our performances,’’ Rodgers said.
‘‘That’s the pleasing aspect.’’ Chelsea was carved open time and again at the King Power Stadium and suffered a fifth loss in its past eight games in the league, to leave it eighth and nine points adrift of the pacesetting Foxes.
‘‘Yeah, I’m worried,’’ Lampard said.
‘‘From the form we were in to get so quickly into the form that we are now in . . . we should be better than that.
‘‘It takes character to turn from that.’’
Meanwhile, West Ham striker Michail Antonio scored the matchwinning goal in its 21 win over lowly West Bromwich Albion.
The Hammers led through Jarrod Bowen’s closerange goal on the stroke of halftime but were pegged back by Matheus Pereira’s effort for West Brom.
However, Antonio volleyed home on 66 minutes to earn the points and leave West Ham seventh.
‘‘Long may it continue. We’re halfway through the season and we want to look up, not down,’’ said West Ham boss David Moyes, whose side has won all three league matches since new year.
West Brom remain secondbottom, five points from safety.
However, it may face more trouble with the premier league to examine if a ‘‘gentleman’s agreement’’ between the Hammers and the Baggies which prevented Robert Snodgrass from playing against his former side contradicted league rules.
Snodgrass, who joined West Brom a fortnight ago, instead watched from the stands at London Stadium.