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Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic scored for a third straight victory and breath new life into a season that seemed in terminal decline just a week ago.

Patson Daka equalized for Leicester but fell to sit just one point above the relegation zone and Wout Faes was sent off late on.

It was only the second time Chelsea have scored three in the Premier League this season, as victories over Leeds and Borussia Dortmund followed in clinical style.

“It’s been a team performance all week, it takes a bit of time to develop that, but the spirit of the guys is developing, it’s growing,” he said, with Chelsea tenth in the table.

“I like the union a lot, everyone supporting each other, fighting to play and ready to play. I am delighted for the players, it has been a tough period but this week has been positive.

“It has been a very good week, three victories. It started with a determined performance against Leeds, then Dortmund and backing him today is really impressive from the players because it’s not easy.

“We have had a good week. We ourselves were a few centimeters from a couple of more goals, they also gave their all. It was a game in the balance and it was our quality that took us to the other side of the line”.

Facing Gary Lineker, watching hometown Leicester after being told by the BBC to stop hosting the Match of the Day followed by fairness, Chilwell opened the scoring after 11 minutes when his controlled volley from a deep cross from Kalidou Koulibaly surprised Danny Ward. in the nearest position of him.

Chelsea striker Joao Félix hit the woodwork and had a goal disallowed for offside and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall hit the crossbar for the hosts.

The Foxes equalized six minutes before the break when Félix lost possession to Ricardo Pereira and Daka took advantage of the ball to punch in the corner kick from 20 meters.

Leicester were suddenly on top and Kepa Arrizabalaga denied James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho, but they fell behind seconds before half-time.

Enzo Fernandez’s excellent chip went over the Foxes’ defense and Havertz’s first lob beat Ward.

Leicester tried to rally and Conor Gallagher blocked Harry Souttar’s effort before Dewsbury-Hall squandered a glorious chance to equalize when they missed with goal at their mercy.

It was costly as Kovacic volleyed in the decider before Faes was sent off for a second yellow card.

The final whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos from the home fans following a fifth successive defeat in all competitions, but boss Brendan Rodgers was defiant.

He said: “If you think back to the beginning of the season, we had six games and one point. We have shown that we can fight and we have resilience and that is what it will take now.

“One thing we are is very close together. We will continue fighting and there are still more points to play. He wants his team to be supported at home and for the crowd to support him.

“We have to overcome that and get the points. The fans are disappointed that we didn’t get the result, but it doesn’t affect me.

“It was (the defeat) hard for the team. When it gets to 3-1 and you’re down to 10 men in the last five minutes, players of that quality can take the ball away from you, so you come away a bit dejected.

“We fought our way back into the game and finished the first half very well, but then a fraction of just (being) passive and you give players of that quality that space they can use.”