Reigning champions Leicester City got back to winning ways with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday at the King Power Stadium.
Ahmed Musa hit a beauty into the top corner on the brink of half time, while ShinjiOkazaki and Christian Fuchs netted to make sure of the win, while Yohan Cabaye's effort for the visitors was merely a consolationeffort in the closing moments.
It's been a tale of two tournaments for the reigning champions Leicester so far, with a 100 per cent winning record so far in their Champions League group, while their defence of the title this year isn't going to plan, collecting just one point from their last three league matches, but they made sure of the three points here.
The Foxes came up against a Palaceside that have been in tremendous form in the league after a slow start, winning three of their last four matches, only to narrowly lose out to West Hamat SelhurstPark last week, however Alan Pardew's men were clearly beaten in this instance.
In terms of team news, Leicester City had a few doubtful key members before kick off, including skipper Wes Morgan (hip), Andy King (shin) and striker Jamie Vardy (groins), but only the latter was missing from the starting line up, as the England international started on the bench for the home side.
For Palace, Scott Dann was the only major worry for Pardew in terms of injury, and this game came to soon for him and his tight hamstring, with summer signing James Tomkins partnering Damien Delaney in defence.
It was the Foxes who were gifted a chance to take an early lead after a misplaced pass from the back from Palace keeper Steve Mandanda 20 yards off his line, however Shinji Okazaki attempted an audacious lob which he got all wrong.
Palace then replied straight away in what looked to be an end-to-end game in just the opening 10 minutes, as Wilfried Zaha fed Yohan Cabaye from the left,who tried his luck from 30 yards, but swerved just wide of the post, while the latter then cut inside with some awesome skill, only for his shot to be blocked by Wes Morgan.
The Eagles continued their dominant start through Benteke, whose aerial strength over Robert Huthwas already paying dividends as his header smacked against the crossbar, while he perhaps should have scored moments later as Cabaye's low whipped in cross just missed the Belgian's outstretched leg.
Ranieri's men slowly began to find their rhythm as Riyad Mahrez found compatriotIslam Slimani free in the box, but he couldn't match Benteke's accuracy as his header looped over the bar as Palace dealt with the Algerian target men well in the opening half an hour.
Okazaki then missed the best chance of the game with a header from 10 yards out that somehow went over the bar, which resulted from an attempted fizzing shot from the right from Mahrez as Leicester began to stamp their authority on the match.
Deservedly, the champions then took the lead on the stroke of half time, and it was a corker from Ahmed Musa, who collected the ball from Slimani after some brilliant hold-up play on the edge of the box, and struck it into the top corner, giving Mandanda no chance.
The second half continued in the same way as the first half ended - Leicester on top. A curling cross found Slimani at the back post who produced a terrific diving header, but he could only find the side-netting on this occasion, while Palace struggling to get a foot-hold.
Zaha continued to be the bright spark in a passive Palace performance but it was clear that they lacked a real cutting edge up front with Benteke marked out of the game, which Huth had begun to do brilliantly.
Musa's new found confidence and pace caused problems for the visitors as the second 45 unfolded, and the Eagles were made to pay for poor defendingonce more as Okazaki added a second on the hour mark after slotting home from a poor clearance from Damien Delaney in the box.
GOAL: Okazaki doubles Leicester's lead against Crystal Palace! https://t.co/M2VAmQdP9S pic.twitter.com/YSs92twoPH
Palace sought to get back into the game straight away with their first shot on target from Zaha, but Kasper Schmeichel got down well to make a smart save.
Moments later, Pardew's men really should have got a goal back. Cabaye's shot from Zaha's cross was blocked by Schmeichel, and from the resulting corner, Benteke's powerful downward header was cleared off of the line from Danny Simpson.
But before Palace could build any momentum, the Foxes hit back and killed the game off with a deserved third from Christian Fuchs with a sublime half volley 25 yards out to score his first goal for the club.
The Eagles struck back straight away with Cabaye after Palace's best player Zaha skinned Fuchs on the flank before rolling it across the box for the Frenchman to finish with a cheeky chip, but it was too little too late from Pardew's boys, despite a onslaught on City's goalmouth in injury time.
Leicester City Line Up: Schmeicel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez, Drinkwater, King, Musa; Okazaki, Slimani
Crystal Palace Line Up: Mandanda; Ward, Tomkins, Delaney, Kelly; Ledley, McArthur, Cabaye; Zaha, Townsend, Benteke
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