Chelsea 1-0 Leicester City: Cucurella’s stunner lifts Blues back into the top four

It wasn’t convincing, but Chelsea got the job done. A stunning long-range strike from Marc Cucurella secured a narrow yet crucial 1-0 win over Leicester City, lifting the Blues back into the Premier League’s top four. While the result was positive, the performance followed a frustratingly familiar pattern.

Once again, Chelsea dominated possession against a well-organized defense but struggled to create clear chances. It has been the story of the second part of the campaign—opponents sitting deep, allowing Chelsea to pass the ball around without much penetration. The lack of cutting edge in the final third was evident again, and even when the Blues had the perfect opportunity to take control, they couldn’t capitalize.

That chance came in the first half when Jadon Sancho won a penalty, usually a guaranteed goal with Cole Palmer stepping up. However in a rare miss, the midfielder failed to convert, keeping Leicester in the game and adding to the frustration. Fortunately, Cucurella provided the breakthrough on the hour mark, unleashing a brilliant strike from distance that finally broke the deadlock. You just need to have a pop every once in a while instead of recycling possession over and over again.

Despite taking the lead, the west Londoners never truly put the game away. Leicester had offered almost nothing in attack, but as stoppage time approached, they suddenly looked dangerous. A few late scares forced the Blues to dig deep defensively, but they managed to hold on for a much-needed win.

Beyond the three points, this victory carried extra weight. With Manchester City shockingly losing to high-flying Nottingham Forest, who now sit third in the table, Chelsea had a golden opportunity to create separation.

They now hold a four-point cushion over City and sit two points ahead of Forest, strengthening their grip on a top-four spot. But with only four points separating fifth from tenth, the race remains unbelievably tight. Dropping points in fixtures like this would have been inexcusable, and while it wasn’t pretty, Chelsea got the job done—barely, but complete.

Next up, Chelsea will host Copenhagen on Thursday, looking to seal their place in the Conference League quarter-finals. Then, a massive test awaits at the Emirates on Sunday, as they take on Arsenal in a crucial Premier League clash just before the international break.