Eight games into the 2016-17 campaign, Claudio Ranieri has already endured a host of disappointing away days in the Premier League as Leicester City manager.
An opening day defeat at newly-promoted Hull City was coupled by catastrophic 4-1 defeats to Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield and Old Trafford respectively. Last season’s dynamic centre-back pairing of Wes Morgan and Robert Huth now look rattled in defence and have been guilty of losing concentration and feeling the pressure of inheriting the tag of domestic champions, as have the majority of members of the title-winning squad.
Saturday afternoon’s lunchtime kick-off at Ranieri’s old employers Chelsea turned out to be no different. Antonio Conte masterminded a comprehensive 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge and was left to heap praises on the entire team. Diego Costa opened the scoring after Nemanja Matic flicked Eden Hazard’s early corner his way. The set-piece taker doubled the advantage later that half with poor defending by Leicester’s backline playing an integral role. A late strike from right wing-back Victor Moses compounded the Foxes’ misery and resigned them to 13th place in the league table, a far cry from the position last season that propelled them to the title.
While Chelsea fancied several more chances, given their supremacy throughout the match, former Leicester City starlet N’Golo Kante haunted his old teammates and manager with a sublime performance in midfield. The Frenchman was sold to the West Londoners earlier this summer for a fee reported to be 32 million pounds and was worth every penny in his first appearance against the reigning champions since the big money move. With Matic operating alongside him in the centre of the park, Kante covered every blade of grass on the pitch, an analogy that became synonymous with him last season.
The 25-year-old completed 87% of his passes, won 75% of his tackles and made 5 interceptions, thereby pinning down his opposite number Daniel Amartey to full effect. What’s more is he made a solitary block, created two chances and almost scored late into the second half. Had that happened, there would have been a completely different headline in the morning papers but as has been the case for the versatile midfielder, he was rendered the unsung hero of the match. All in all, Kante demonstrated the qualities that made him indispensable at the King Power stadium last season and proceeded to use his arsenal against the beleaguered champions.
Nampalys Mendy’s extended spell on the sidelines has effectively raised hopes from Amartey and barring a couple of good spells in select games, he has struggled to fill the void left by Kante. These are big shoes to fill and if Leicester are to make any impact in the top half of the table, he will be required to step up and deliver. For Chelsea and Kante, there are positives aplenty.