Four things we learnt as Chelsea pick apart Foxes in comfortable away win
Credit: Catherine Ivill - AMA / Getty

Chelsea kept their cool in the Saturday early kick-off, as goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez sealed a 2-1 away win. 

Enzo Maresca returned to haunt his former club, with his team dominating in both halves for large periods of the game, and restricting their opponents to just one shot on target in ninety minutes. 

Steve Cooper has won just once at the King Power Stadium this season, and questions may start to arise surrounding his future, with Leicester now winless in their last five league matches. 

Here are four things we learnt from the game: 

  • Jackson loves an away day

Nicolas Jackson's life at Chelsea has had its ups and downs, but it was refreshing to see him full of confidence in this match. 

Remarkably, five of his seven league goals have come away from home this season. The Chelsea striker is clearly loving life on the road, and this match was no different. 

He showed strong physicality to outmuscle Wout Faes as he brought the ball into the Leicester box. From there, a guiding pass from Enzo Maresca found the striker, who brought the ball down with a golden touch before striking past Mads Hermansen with the outside of his boot. 

Jackson has erupted into one of the best number nine's in the league - only Erling Haaland has more goals from the striker spot.

  • Enzo shines on return 

With Romeo Lavia not quite well enough to start the game, Enzo Fernandez was given the nod as he partnered Moises Caicedo in midfield.

Given how ruthless Chelsea were in the first half, it was an ideal environment for Enzo to push high and into the box - and this was rewarded on 15 minutes, with the Argentine setting up Nicolas Jackson for the opener.

He then showed great instinct to latch onto a second ball, heading home his team's second and his first for the club since February. 

The midfielder will be delighted with his performance - scoring and assisting in the same match for the first time in his career, and picking up a sixth assist in his last five games for club and country.

Maresca has had recent success with a partnership of Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, but Fernandez looks to be on a hot streak at the moment and should be rewarded with more game time.

  • Positive signs in defence?

Maresca made some noticeable tactical adjustments in this match, given the absences of several key players, including Reece James, Malo Gusto and the in-form Pedro Neto. 

Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana begun as the full-backs in Chelsea's usual back four, with Benoit Badiashile partnering Levi Colwill in the middle of defence. 

This was Badiashile's first league start this season; a perfect opportunity to justify your place in the first team, and he did just that. 

Some solid performances in Europe has given the defender both experience and confidence, and he offered the Blues crucial height and solidity against a physical Leicester side. It was his best performance by far for the Blues.

With no Jadon Sancho or Mykhailo Mudryk in the starting lineup, Joao Felix started on the left, but played more in the half space alongside Cole Palmer.

This gave Marc Cucurella the task of providing the width down the left wing - which he did superbly, showing good creativity and chance creation in attack. His pinpoint cross into the path of Nicolas Jackson was converted by Enzo Fernandez, thanks to a fortunate second ball.

The Spaniard was also energetic and proactive in defence, keeping Leicester debutant Kasey McAteer quiet down Leicester's right flank and showing bravery to cut out potential attacks. 

Leicester were lacking in offence - they aimed to find Jamie Vardy free on the shoulder of the Blues back line and could have capitalised from the tactic on several occasions, but Chelsea's back line held firm and hoovered up the majority of chances, recycling the ball well and keeping the hosts pinned back.

They may be disheartened by the late penalty goal and missed clean sheet, but there will be plenty of positives to take from the performance. 

  • Blues have to capitalise on upcoming fixture run

Chelsea needed to win here to remain in the top four, and they did just that - keeping their cool despite some fitness issues and an early return following the international break.

There is potential for the Blues to create a points advantage with their upcoming run, which is one of the easiest on paper as they face several teams in the lower half of the Premier League.

The run includes a home tie against Aston Villa who are winless in their last five league games, before matches against Southampton, Tottenham, Brentford, Everton and Fulham.

With his side currently level on points with Arsenal, Brighton and Nottingham Forest, as well as being within touching distance of Manchester City in second, Maresca will likely aim to go unbeaten up to Christmas, and cement his team's top four spot heading into the New Year.