CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Leicester v Chelsea 12/10/96 3.00

Leicester               (1) 1 Chelsea                 (0) 3 FT
Watts 44                      Vialli 48
                              Di Matteo 64
                              Hughes 80

Gianluca Vialli came off the bench to inspire Chelsea to a 3-1 win against in-form Leicester at Filbert Street.

Julian Watts had given Leicester the lead a minute before the break but Vialli, brought on for the second-half, transformed the game.

The 32-year-old striker grabbed an equaliser three minutes into the half, rattled the post with another effort moments later, then later turned provider to lay on goals for fellow Italian import Roberto Di Matteo and Mark Hughes.

Chelsea boss Ruud Gullit had left Vialli, troubled by a hamstring injury, out of his starting line-up and 19-year-old striker Mark Nicholls was handed his first start for the club.

But Gullit unleashed Vialli for the second-half and he provided the spark to end Chelsea's run of eight league visits to Filbert Street without a win.

Gullit had made three changes from the side held to a 1-1 home draw by Nottingham Forest. As well as leaving out Vialli, he brought back Andy Myers for Scott Minto and Erland Johnsen for Michael Duberry.

Leicester went into the game looking for a fifth straight win and their best run in three and a half years.

Martin O'Neill made one change from the side which beat Leeds before the international break, transfer-listed Garry Parker replacing virus victim Scott Taylor.

Chelsea made a convincing start and Dan Petrescu tested Kasey Keller with a dipping volley from Dennis Wise's corner.

But Leicester gradually gained a foothold in the game and succeeded in knocking Chelsea out of their stride.

Kevin Hitchcock dived low to his left to keep out Parker's free kick and Ian Marshall shot wastefully wide when Spencer Prior's long ball left him with only Hitchcock to beat.

Chelsea looked unsettled and Frank Leboeuf earned himself a booking for a foul on Emile Heskey, but the Londoners still looked dangerous on the break and Keller did well to claw Wise's right-foot curler away from beneath his crossbar.

Leicester finished the half strongly and took the lead a minute before the break when Lebouef fouled Heskey on the left touchline and Muzzy Izzet's free kick was headed on by Steve Walsh, enabling Watts to volley home from close range.

Vialli and Eddie Newton, out for seven months with a broken leg, appeared for the second-half in place of Wise and Nicholls respectively and the Italian's impact was immediate.

With his first touch Vialli turned Spencer Prior on the edge of the area and, after steadying himself, he planted a low left foot shot wide of Keller.

Leicester were still reeling when Vialli burst into the area and rattled Keller's right-hand post and the Italian had not finished.

A precise pass gave Di Matteo time and space to fire Chelsea ahead on 63 minutes and another left Hughes with a tap in from close range 11 minutes from time.

Before Hughes' strike, Hitchcock had denied Izzet an equaliser, diving to his right to tip the midfielder's deflected shot behind for a corner.