Tuesday 15 December 2015 12:40, UK
Goals from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez helped Leicester to a 2-1 win over champions Chelsea on Monday Night Football.
The result took the Foxes back to the top of the Premier League but how are they doing it?
With Jamie Carragher and Frank Lampard suggesting that Leicester could have the three best players in the Premier League right now, Adam Bate takes a look at their standout stars…
More magic from Mahrez
"He's brilliant," said Carragher on Monday Night Football. "Some of the things we are seeing. He's doing things with that left foot that I only see Messi do." High praise but understandable given Mahrez's stunning performances so far this season.
Mahrez dispossessed Cesar Azpilicueta in the opening minutes and promptly nutmegged Eden Hazard for the game's first shot on target. He hit the target again before delivering the assist for the opening goal - an early cross that outfoxed the Chelsea defence.
His goal was even better. Azpilicueta has been one of the finest full-backs in the Premier League but he had no way of dealing with the Algerian winger. Mahrez is now the third highest scorer and ranks joint-second for top-flight assists this season - meaning he has directly contributed to more goals than any other player.
Vardy outperforming Costa
"Jamie Vardy, he's scored more than you." The Leicester fans weren't quite correct but the point stands. Vardy has scored 15 Premier League goals this season, while Chelsea have 18. However, given that three of them were own goals, he does have as many as the entire Chelsea squad.
There's no mystery to it. Once again, Vardy impressed with his work rate from the outset, winning a block as he rushed Kurt Zouma and prompting a panicked clearance from Thibaut Courtois soon after. There was the quality to match with his fine finish for the opening goal.
Diego Costa couldn't match that quality with his finishing - he was denied by Kasper Schmeichel with a one-on-one opportunity. The Chelsea forward's aggression in leading the line was a significant part of his team's success last season but now it's Vardy scoring goals and defending from the front.
Kante crucial for Leicester
All aboard the N'Golo Kante bandwagon. There can be no denying that Vardy and Mahrez have been the heroes of Leicester's season but it simply isn't possible to drag a team to the top of the table without efforts from elsewhere - just ask Willian.
Kante set the tone by twice dispossessing Willian in the first minute of the match and he's been doing stuff like that all season. No player in the Premier League has made more interceptions and he's among the top three for tackles too.
Against Chelsea, Kante won possession of the ball more times than anyone else on the pitch. He also covered more ground than any other player and did a job on the right flank in the latter stages. But it's not all destructive. Kante's forward pass started the move for the game's opening goal.
Dogged defensive display
Just as Chelsea are a team seemingly crippled by a crisis of confidence, Leicester's success is spreading with the efforts of these three players proving inspirational to others. The defenders know that if they do their job then they will win games and that seems to be having a galvanising effect.
Wes Morgan relished his battle with Costa and even when the back-line was breached, Schmeichel saved from Costa and soon after there was a corner cleared off the line by Christian Fuchs. "Leicester look like a team who should be at the top of the table," said Carragher afterwards.
Clearly, there are some standout performers - "I think they've got the best three players in the Premier League at the moment in Mahrez, Vardy and Kante," added Carragher - but team is the key word at the moment. Ranieri promised them a pizza if they kept a clean sheet earlier this season. There may be bigger prizes ahead if Leicester continue along this path.
