Chelsea returned to the top four of the Premier League on Sunday but made heavy weather of their 1-0 victory over struggling Leicester City, squeezing through with a 60th-minute goal from Spain defender Marc Cucurella.

The home side had been dominant in possession but toothless before Enzo Fernandez squared a pass to the onrushing Cucurella, who skidded an angled shot across the turf and past the diving Mads Hermansen.

Cole Palmer had a first-half penalty superbly saved by the Danish goalkeeper. It was the first Premier League penalty miss for the out-of-sorts Chelsea forward, who has now gone seven league games without a goal.

Chelsea leap-frogged Manchester City into fourth spot on 49 points, two behind third-placed Nottingham Forest and 21 adrift of leaders Liverpool. Leicester remained second bottom on 17.