Leicester returned to the top of the English Premier League with a 2-1 victory last night as Chelsea’s desperate defence of their crown continued.

The irrepressible duo of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez once again scored Leicester’s goals to send them two points clear at the summit and inflict a ninth league loss of the season on the champions, leaving Jose Mourinho’s men 20 points behind and only one point above the relegation zone.

As has been the case so far this season, Leicester looked inspired and Chelsea jaded and lacking imagination.

Mahrez got the home fans off their seats in the second minute with a mazy run in-field from the right before forcing Thibaut Courtois to get down to his left to smother his shot.

Mahrez worked Courtois again in the 18th minute after bringing down the ball on the edge of the area, but once more it was a routine save for the Belgian.

Chelsea made an enforced change after half an hour when Eden Hazard appeared to hurt his hip after going to ground under a challenge from Vardy. Mourinho introduced Pedro.

Vardy’s next involvement would hurt Chelsea further. Mahrez spotted the striker’s clever front-post run and found him with a lovely curling cross from the right which Vardy dispatched first time on the volley to give Claudio Ranieri’s side a 34th-minute lead.

Chelsea were almost level immediately as Nemanja Matic’s header from a corner clipped the top of the crossbar on the way over.

Marc Albrighton tested Courtois with a curling effort just before half-time and it was his superb deep cross from the left flank at the start of the second half that set up Mahrez for the second goal.

The little Algerian’s first touch to bring the ball under his spell was instant. He then turned Cesar Azpilicueta one way then the other until he had the yard of space he needed to bend the ball around Courtois and into the far corner of the net.

The King Power was rocking but it was nearly silenced twice either side of the hour mark when Pedro was crowded out in a goalmouth scramble before Kasper Schmeichel diverted Diego Costa’s shot over the bar.

Mourinho threw the dice and brought on Cesc Fabregas and Loic Remy and two of his substitutes combined to get the visitors back in the game after 77 minutes as Remy headed home Pedro’s cross from close range.

Remy sent a shot wide from the edge of the area but the champions could not force an equaliser despite some late pressure.