Chelsea on brink of title after win at Leicester as Drogba ends goal drought

Chelsea's Didier Drogba in action with Leicester's Marc Albrighton and Danny Drinkwater Reuters

Chelsea took another step towards winning the English Premier League title as second half goals from Didier Drogba, John Terry and Ramires helped them overturn a half-time deficit to win 3-1 at in-form Leicester City.

Jose Mourinho's side can now secure the crown if they beat Crystal Palace on Sunday after overcoming a scare against a side who looked far from relegation contenders on this evidence.

Leicester, who had won their previous four games, struck just before the break through Marc Albrighton and looked value for their lead until Chelsea raised their game in the second half.

The visitors opted to start with Petr Cech in goal with Thibaut Courtois not 100 per cent fit while Diego Costa missed out with 37-year-old Drogba handed only his sixth league start of the season.

Leicester were unchanged and not surprisingly, given their form, they started well in front of a passionate home crowd.

Jamie Vardy headed straight at Cech from Albrighton's cross before the former's snapshot from 25 yards just missed the target.

Esteban Cambiasso's intelligent long ball then found Leonardo Ulloa but the Argentine striker could not get a clean touch to take him through on goal.

Chelsea should have taken the lead though when Willian ran down the left and pulled the ball back for Drogba but his tame effort from 12 yards hit Marcin Wasilewski.

Leicester were dealt a blow when midfielder Andy King, on his 300th appearance for the club, was forced off with an early knock and replaced by Matty James.

The hosts shortly afterwards suffered another injury with Robert Huth coming off after an innocuous challenge at a corner with Ritchie De Laet coming on to necessitate a switch to a flat back four.

Those disruptions destroyed Leicester's early rhythm and Chelsea came closer to the opener with Drogba firing wide on the turn.

However Nigel Pearson's side shut out the danger and Danny Drinkwater's long ranger was the next chance which went just over.

Leicester might have taken the lead shortly afterwards as Albrighton's shot was deflected onto the post right footed by Paul Konchesky prompting a mass goalmouth scramble involving Cambiasso and Albrighton.

But they took the lead in stoppage time as James fed Vardy down the left and Cesar Azpilicueta slipped on the wet surface for Albrighton to slot in his first goal for Leicester and first since 2012.

Chelsea though regrouped at half-time and were level within three minutes of the restart.

Branislav Ivanovic cut in down the right and crossed for Drogba to finish in cool fashion and it prompted an emotional celebration at his first goal of 2015.

Drogba could have had a second as he twice went close, the first time blazing over and then firing over from a good position.

James' deflected shot raised the tempo for Leicester but it was Chelsea who came into the game late as the hosts tired.

Ramires' deflected shot forced a 79th-minute Cesc Fabregas corner. Gary Cahill's back header was superbly saved by Kasper Schmeichel but Terry reacted quickest to scramble home his seventh goal of the season.

The game was over as a contest four minutes later as Fabregas pull back was driven how with power by Ramires while visiting fans were ironically singing "boring, boring Chelsea", mocking taunts from Arsenal supporters during the goalless draw on Sunday.

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