Chelsea v Leicester player ratings
Chelsea were way below par as they failed to breach Leicester’s 10 men. Here’s how we rated each Blues player in the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Thibaut Courtois: 6
Made an impressive save to keep out Wilfred Ndidi’s header but had very little else to do because of Leicester’s wayward finishing.
Cesar Azpilicueta: 6
As steady as ever defensively, the Spaniard also came close to finding Alvaro Morata with a couple of trademark crosses from deep.
Gary Cahill: 5
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Cahill was given the runaround by Jamie Vardy in the early stages and never looked comfortable dealing with the England forward’s direct running and pace.
Antonio Rudiger: 6
A solid enough performance by the German, but was also troubled by the excellent Vardy and could have been more positive pushing forward with the ball at his feet in the latter stages.
Victor Moses: 7
Had another decent game, doing his defensive work without alarm and constantly getting forward. He was unfortunate not to tee up a goal from a couple of teasing crosses.
Tiemoue Bakayoko: 5
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One or two powerful bursts showed what the midfielder is capable of producing. But the Frenchman was bypassed for most of the match and when afforded more time and space after Ben Chilwell’s dismissal he seemed scared in possession and, after twice shooting wildly over, happy to pass on responsibility.
N’Golo Kante: 7
A typically busy display, but he lacked midfield support and his tenacity was more than matched by Leicester counterparts Wilfred Ndidi and Matty James.
Cesc Fabregas: 6
Fabregas was the only Chelsea player to bring any measure of control in tight areas but could not affect play in a team performance lacking conviction, energy and willing runners. He was taken off before Leicester were reduced to 10 men and his guile was sorely missed against tiring legs in the final 20 minutes.
Marcos Alonso: 6
Severely tested by Riyad Mahrez but generally held his own and could have earned his team an undeserved victory with a late, bouncing free-kick that had Kasper Schmeichel scrambling across his goal.
Eden Hazard: 5
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Rarely has Hazard played so ineffectively. He could barely put a foot right in the first half, giving away possession on countless occasions and regularly running into blind alleys. He looked jaded and was replaced with more than 30 minutes remaining.
Alvaro Morata: 5
A fine first-half run aside, Morata was anonymous. He had little support and was starved of chances, but offered very little presence and allowed himself to be dominated by the imposing figure of Harry Maguire.
Andreas Christensen: 7
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Christensen was surprisingly omitted but got the call to replace the injured Cahill on 33 minutes and was Chelsea’s best defender. He impressively dealt with Vardy’s direct style.
Willian: 6
He brought some much-needed dynamism and at least threatened to create a match-winning opening.
Pedro: 6
Like Willian, Pedro was sharp and positive but unable to create a telling opportunity.
