Premier League news - Impressive Chelsea hammer Leicester at the King Power in convincing fashion

League-leaders Chelsea returned from the international break in style cruising to victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

Thomas Tuchel's side dominated from the first whistle and were given reward when Antonio Rudiger opened the scoring heading home Ben Chilwell's inswinging corner after 14 minutes.

Before the half-hour mark it was two when former Fox N'Golo Kante was given freedom to run with the ball from the halfway line to the penalty area before curling a left-footed area past Kasper Schmeichel's despairing dive and inside the post.

Substitutes Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic combined for a third 19 minutes from time as the former was played in by Trevor Chalobah and twisted Caglar Soyuncu before sliding a ball for the American international to slot home.

With Chelsea having three goals disallowed through marginal offsides in the second half, and numerous other chances throughout the game, Leicester were lucky to avoid a more comprehensive defeat.

It is understandable why Brendan Rodgers has been linked so strongly to the Manchester United job having finished consistently in European spots with Leicester and with the experience of leading a top side previously. His tactical acumen dwarfing that of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to balance the tendency of his sides to slip at the tail end of seasons.

That said, Leicester currently have the third worst defence in the Premier League. Whether playing four at the back or three as today, the common ingredient has been an inability to defend stoutly, especially from set pieces. The Foxes have four games against Aston Villa, Southampton, Newcastle and Watford where they can get their season back on track but they now are a side teams whose equivalent fear of defending Vardy and co is outweighed by the glee of attacking the defence marshalled, with far less accomplishment now, by Jonny Evans.

This award could have gone to many Chelsea players. Both wing backs were superb. And Thiago Silva's partners at the back were both exemplary, with Trevor Chalobah - who is receiving PhD tutoring from the Brazilian - exceptional in his seventh start.

At 37, Thiago Silva will not play every game this season and perhaps a Liverpool strikeforce and a couple in the Champions League may be capable of exposing him, but with Chelsea dominating most games, the withdrawn, almost sweeper role he played today could be replicated against most opposition.

Whether it was perfectly timed challenges, reading the play to intercept through-balls, starting counter-attacks with sublime touches or dissecting Leicester's defence with pinpoint 50 yard balls, it could not have been a much more complete performance.

Leicester: Schmeichel 6; Albrighton 7, Soyuncu 5, Evans 5, Amartey 5, Castagne 5; Ndidi 5, Soumare 5; Barnes 5, Vardy 6, Lookman 5.

Subs: Maddison 7, Iheancho 6, Dewsbury-Hall 6.

Chelsea: Mendy 7; Chalobah 8, Thiago Silva 9*, Rudiger 8; James 8, Kante 8, Jorginho 8, Chilwell 8; Mount 6, Hudson-Odoi 7, Havertz6.

Subs: Pulisic 7, Ziyech 8, Loftus-Cheek 6.

14' GOAL FOR CHELSEA! Under little pressure Rudiger meets Chilwell's corner with a glancing header giving Schmeichel no chance.

28' GOAL FOR CHELSEA! Kante is allowed to run thirty yards with the ball and with no one losing him down shoots with his left from 25 yards out and it nestles just inside the right-hand post.

72' GOAL FOR CHELSEA! The subs combine to put the game beyond any doubt there was. A fine run from Chalobah sees him play Ziyech in on the right flank and then he toys with Soyuncu before passing to Pulisic in the middle and, though his first touch is not perfect, he can slide the ball home with his second.

84' GOAL DISALLOWED! A wonderful goal from James is ruled out after a one-two with Ziyech due to Chilwell being offside earlier in the move.