Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four with a hard-fought victory over Leicester City at Stamford Bridge, secured by Marc Cucurella’s second-half strike.
The Spanish left-back netted his fifth goal of the season and his second in consecutive league matches, following his effort against Southampton. Cucurella’s decisive goal came on the hour mark, as he fired a precise left-footed shot from 25 yards past Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Chelsea had faced frustration earlier in the match, particularly when Hermansen saved Cole Palmer’s penalty midway through the first half after Jadon Sancho was fouled by Victor Kristiansen. The miss ended Palmer’s flawless record from the spot, having converted his previous 12 attempts, and extended his goalless streak to nine matches across all competitions.
Leicester showed promise in the first half and nearly took a surprising lead when Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo headed the ball against his own crossbar. However, the Foxes failed to capitalize on their chances and struggled to threaten after the interval.
Chelsea’s win allowed them to leapfrog Manchester City, gaining a two-point advantage over the reigning champions.
For Leicester, the defeat left them second from the bottom of the table, level on points with 18th-placed Ipswich but behind on goal difference, and six points away from safety in 17th place, currently occupied by Wolves.