To put the scale of Claudio Ranieri’s achievement into context, Leicester City are now 20 points clear of the champions Chelsea. The gap between first and 16th feels like it will only get wider.
What a remarkable evening for Leicester, returning to the top of the Premier League table by playing fast and loose in front of their own fans at the King Power Stadium. They have an old fashioned approach and don’t we just love them for it.
Leicester are stirring the emotions, feeding off the energy and enthusiasm of their top scorer Jamie Vardy and the wizard out on the right Riyad Mahrez.
They both scored, putting Leicester 2-0 in front before Chelsea finally responded and scored with a goal by substitute Loic Remy with 13 minutes left on the clock. Time is running out for Jose Mourinho.
Here his team could not cope, run off the park and run out of town when Vardy and Mahrez combined for Leicester’s opener after 34, intoxicating minutes.
It was a classic goal, the forward losing his marker with a cleverly timed run into the area. It was made by Vardy and scored by him.
Leicester City fans will still be talking about it when they travel to Everton on Saturday, honouring the dazzling movement and touches of Vardy, Leonardo Ulloa and Riyad Mahrez.
Ranieri’s team were electrifying, playing with an intensity that must be the envy of every supporter in the Premier League. They play on one setting and one setting alone: Very fast.
It is intoxicating, difficult to keep up with the remorseless attacks down the left from the direct Marc Albrighton or the mesmerising Mahrez down the right.
The goal was a beauty. Vardy started the move with a ball turned around the corner to Ulloa and a touch later it was into the feet of Mahrez on the right.
He was hypnotic, sending Chelsea’s defence into a trance while he waited for Vardy to make his run towards the near post.
When Vardy set off, losing Kurt Zouma and John Terry in one sweeping move, Mahrez whipped a cross in and the forward scored his 15th goal of the Premier League season. He is unstoppable.
Chelsea needed a response, something to convince the champions that they could avoid a ninth defeat in the Premier League. Truth is, they have lost their purpose.
It was amplified by the dismissive reaction of Eden Hazard towards his manager when the PFA Player of the Year took himself off in the 29th minute.
Hazard had been urged to carry on by Mourinho after he was twice nudged by Vardy and struggled to his feet after lengthy treatment. Moments later, when he failed to react to a simple pass by the touchline, he turned on his heels and headed straight for the tunnel. It was another sign that all is not well at this club.
Chelsea knew what they were in for here: a tough, bruising encounter against a team who have thrust themselves into contention for the title under Ranieri.
Mourinho’s side tried to match the hosts’ physicality, with Terry, Zouma and Oscar committing fouls that should have been punished with bookings by referee Mark Clattenburg.
What a team Leicester have, a group of players who are swept along with the euphoria that has developed at this club over the past few months. They took this game to the champions, fighting for every inch and then flooring them in the 34th minute when Vardy scored.
Mourinho needs answers because this is unacceptable, a pitiful defence of the title with a team who won it by eight points from Manchester City last season. At times they appear to have stopped playing for the shirt, perhaps even the manager. It really is that bad.
Where does Mourinho go from here, because once he lost the aura he also lost the ability to lead. He cannot motivate them any more. Chelsea are gone, giving up on their manager when he needed them to come through for him. This was a shameful performance.
They conceded again at the start of the second half, beaten by the magic of Mahrez in the 48th minute when the Algerian trapped Albrighton’s looping cross from the left. He turned Cesar Azpilicueta all ways, sending the Chelsea left back for a hot dog before curling a left-footed shot above the reach of Courtois. It sent the place into raptures.
Leicester were magnificent at the back, with captain Wes Morgan and Robert Huth dominating in the centre of defence. Diego Costa barely got a kick.
He took a whack at the start of the second half when Vardy was booked for clattering him from behind, the start of a series of punishing fouls on the Chelsea forward.
After Mahrez’s stunner, Mourinho gambled, substituting Terry and replacing him with Cesc Fabregas. Pedro had a chance scrambled away, but he turned provider for Loic Remy’s header that beat Kasper Schmeichel 13 minutes from time.
It increased the anxiety around the place, with Mourinho stalking his touchline and waiting for one of his players to conjure up that little bit of magic in the final minutes.
Unfortunately for the Chelsea boss, it never came.
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