Jackson and Fernandez score in Chelsea victory
Goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez gave Chelsea a deserved win against boss Enzo Maresca’s former club.
They dominated the first half at the King Power Stadium and went ahead when Jackson outmuscled defender Wout Faes and collected Fernandez’s return pass before slotting past keeper Mads Hermansen.
Fernandez’s 75th-minute header effectively sealed the victory. Jordan Ayew pulled a goal back for Leicester with a stoppage-time penalty.
Leicester were better after the interval but the Blues would have gone further ahead had Cole Palmer not been comically denied a goal by team-mate Noni Madueke.
After Jackson’s effort had been saved by Hermansen, the ball dropped straight to Palmer, whose shot hit Madueke despite the latter’s attempt to get out of the way.
The second goal eventually arrived when Fernandez nodded in the loose ball after Hermansen had saved Jackson’s header from Marc Cucurella’s cross.
In the final stages, Bobby De Cordova-Reid was tripped by Romeo Lavia but initially adjudged to be offside. However, VAR established that the former Fulham man was onside.
A spot-kick was therefore awarded, which Ayew just about converted despite keeper Robert Sanchez getting a hand to the ball.
Chelsea: Sanchez, Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo (Lavia 81), Fernandez, Madueke (Sancho 86), Palmer, Felix (Nkunku 81), Jackson (Dewsbury-Hall 90)
Subs not used: Bettinelli, Jorgensen, Tosin, Veiga, Mudryk.
