Chelsea moved back into the Premier League top four as Marc Cucurella’s second-half strike sealed a scrappy win against Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.
It was the Spain left-back’s fifth goal of the season – and second in successive league games after netting against Southampton.
Cucurella’s crucial goal came on the hour mark, beating visiting keeper Mads Hermansen with a left-footed effort from 25 yards.
Chelsea had been frustrated until then, with Hermansen saving Cole Palmer’s penalty midway through the first half following a trip on Jadon Sancho by Victor Kristiansen.
The miss ended Palmer’s 100% record from the spot – having scored his previous 12 – and prolonged the playmaker’s goalless run to nine matches in all competitions.
Leicester impressed during the first half and came close to opening the scoring in bizarre circumstances when Blues defender Tosin Adarabioyo headed against his own crossbar.
But that was as close as the Foxes came, with Enzo Maresca’s men improving after the break and claim the winner to leapfrog Manchester City and take a two-point advantage over the reigning champions.
Defeat for Leicester left them second bottom in the table, behind 18th-placed Ipswich on goal difference and six points adrift of Wolves in 17th.
While Chelsea will enjoy a much-needed success in the tense fight for Champions League places, Palmer must be wondering what more he has to do to break his goal duck.
Despite being Chelsea’s top scorer with 14 this term, the 22-year-old had failed to score or assist in the Blues’ last eight matches – a run stretching back to mid-January.
The England midfielder was presented with the perfect opportunity to end that run in the 22nd minute when Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Kristiansen caught Sancho.
Palmer had a 100% penalty record, scoring all 12 of his previous spot kicks in his career.
But his low, powerful effort to the corner was superbly kept out by Hermansen.
Palmer looked unmoved, immediately darting to retrieve the ball that had been tipped around the post for a corner.
But his struggles continue and he was replaced with 17 minutes left by Tyrique George, with Maresca keeping one eye on Thursday’s Conference League last-16 second-leg tie against Copenhagen at Stamford Bridge.
If Chelsea are to remain in the top four, it feels as though Palmer’s luck will have to change in front of goal as they often found it difficult to break down the battling Foxes.
