Chelsea vs Leicester City highlights: Cucurella goal enough for Blues after Palmer penalty miss

Hello and welcome to football.london for live coverage of Chelsea's Premier League meeting with Leicester City at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.

The Blues are looking to keep tabs with the likes of Manchester City in the battle for a top four place this season. Three points at home to Southampton last time out in the league was a welcome boost and Enzo Maresca will be hoping his side can produce a similar display this afternoon.

Maresca led his team to a narrow victory in Copenhagen on Thursday evening but the performance was not enough to convince everyone. Today, the head coach welcomes his former side Leicester to the Bridge, the club he departed last summer in order to move to Chelsea.

While Maresca has plenty of close friends at the King Power Stadium, the Italian reiterated his focus was purely on the Blues today in what is another crucial game. Kick-off in SW6 is at 2pm GMT and you can follow every kick right here with football.london's dedicated coverage.

Key Events

• FULL-TIME15:57
• Goal! Chelsea 1-0 Leicester City (Cucurella)15:22
• Half-time player ratings14:51
• HALF-TIME14:51
• Saved14:22

15:57KEY EVENT

FULL-TIME

Chelsea hold on for the 1-0 win. The Blues are back into the top four of the Premier League table with Cucurella's goal on the hour-mark enough for the home side at Stamford Bridge. Crucial three points.

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15:52Bobby Vincent

Six minutes added

Chelsea are almost there…

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15:50Bobby Vincent

Another Chelsea change

Acheampong is getting some minutes. He replaces Nkunku. 1-0 to Chelsea on 89 minutes.

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15:42Bobby Vincent

Penalty shout

Sancho's shot hits Coady in the arm and Chelsea want a penalty. VAR looked but the decision of no penalty stands.

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15:34Bobby Vincent

Chelsea subs

George and Chalobah have replaced Palmer and Fofana. 1-0 to Chelsea on 72 minutes.

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15:22Bobby Vincent

More on the goal

Cucurella is charging with the ball on the left-hand side of the edge of the box, he looks up and picks his spot. The Spaniard fires it into the far bottom corner. Lovely goal from the Spaniard.

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15:22KEY EVENT

Goal! Chelsea 1-0 Leicester City (Cucurella)

Cucurella breaks the deadlock with a superb strike!

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15:14Bobby Vincent

Close!

Neto with an effort from the edge of the box as Chelsea break. The Portuguese's low effort is deflected behind for a corner.

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15:13Bobby Vincent

Save!

Sanchez is called into action. Rather straightforwardly, he tips Vardy's strike over the bar but it had to be stopped.

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15:12Bobby Vincent

Better start

A much quicker tempo in attack from Chelsea thus far in the second-half. Some nice moments, firstly from Cucurella and Neto with the former getting in behind the Foxes' defence and secondly from Palmer and Sancho, who produced some nice link-up play before the ball went out for a corner.

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15:06Bobby Vincent

Underway again

The second-half is upon us. No changes from either manager.

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14:51KEY EVENT

Half-time player ratings

Robert Sanchez – 5

Wesley Fofana – 7

Tosin Adarabioyo – 5

Levi Colwill – 6

Marc Cucurella – 6

Moises Caicedo – 6

Enzo Fernandez – 6

Cole Palmer – 5

Christopher Nkunku – 6

Jadon Sancho – 6

Pedro Neto – 5

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14:51KEY EVENT

HALF-TIME

Goalless at the break. The talking point, undoubtedly, the Palmer penalty miss. Chelsea really should be ahead and have plenty of work to do at Stamford Bridge.

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14:45Bobby Vincent

Six added minutes

We're into stoppage time in the first-half.

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14:41Bobby Vincent

Too slow

Far too slow from a Chelsea perspective. They have control of the game, granted, but at the moment, bar the odd ball over the top, they are not causing the visitors too many problems. Not long until half-time and it remains goalless at Stamford Bridge.

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14:26Bobby Vincent

Nearly an own goal

Tosin heads against his own crossbar. So close to Leicester taking the lead. Sanchez dives out for the cross and gets nowhere near the ball.

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14:22KEY EVENT

Saved

Wow. Palmer denied from 12 yards out. His wait for a goal goes on.

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14:19KEY EVENT

PENALTY!

Chelsea have the penalty this time! Sancho brought down by Kristiansen inside the box. Palmer to take…

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14:11Bobby Vincent

Statement from Premier League

#CHELEI – 2’
The referee’s call of no penalty to Chelsea following a challenge by Thomas on Palmer was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact deemed to be minimal.

— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) March 9, 2025

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14:07Bobby Vincent

Half chance for Leicester

El Khannouss dribbles with the ball before striking from the egde of the box but the shot is too close to Sanchez, who gathers easily.

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14:02Bobby Vincent

Big penalty shout

Palmer goes down inside the box after a challenge from Thomas. Chelsea adamant Palmer was fouled but the referee waves it away. VAR check confirms the initial decision of no penalty.

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14:01Bobby Vincent

Chelsea shape

In the early stages, it looks like Neto is leading the line, Palmer in the No.10 with Nkunku on the left and Sancho on the right.

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14:00KEY EVENT

KICK-OFF

Underway at Stamford Bridge.

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13:56Bobby Vincent

Teams are out

Here come the teams. Kick-off is fast approaching in the beautiful sunshine in SW6.

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13:53Bobby Vincent

Special moment pre-match

Dennis Wise, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Kerry Dixon, Katie Chapman, Ron Harris and Frank Blunstone out on the pitch at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea celebrate turning 120-years-old tomorrow. Huge ovation for each and every one of them.

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13:45Bobby Vincent

Teams are in

The two sides have now headed back down the tunnel as kick-off approaches. This is your 15-minute warning!

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13:44Bobby Vincent

Implications of today

Chelsea go into the top four if they beat Leicester City this afternoon after Manchester City's defeat at Nottingham Forest yesterday. The Blues are on 46 points with a better goal difference, while City are on 45, meaning a draw would also be enough.

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13:38Bobby Vincent

Warm-ups

The warm-ups are well underway here at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Malo Gusto, who is absent from the squad today and goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli have taken some time to meet a Chelsea supporter on the sidelines, as well as have their photos taken with him.

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13:31Bobby Vincent

Enzo on team selection

We have made a few changes but we believe in the side today. Malo Gusto got a kick in the last game and he's not quite ready, so we did not want to risk him.

Reece James last night felt unwell, so he will also not play today. We do have Wesley Fofana available though and we are very happy to have an important player like Wes back.

We have two good goalkeepers, there is no problem and today Robert plays.

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13:26Bobby Vincent

What a day for it!

Glorious day at Stamford Bridge pic.twitter.com/xkSXGxrbkY

— Bobby Vincent (@BobbyVincentFL) March 9, 2025

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