City had McKinlay back in the midfield and also Lilian Nalis, who hasn't played for ages. Thatcher was out again (where does he go every other game?) so it was a back four of Impey, Dabizas, Howey and Davidson.

The first half was all Chelsea. City weren't in the game. Nalis had a pretty awful first half, giving the ball away too often and not really being fast enough.

The City fans got into his back, which didn't help. Some of the passes were good, it was the other players that misread them, and he's not exactly match fit. At least the North West people gave him a good round applause when he went to take a corner to help boost his confidence. But he was pretty rubbish at taking them too.

Our so called wingers Impey and Stewart did bugger all. At least Howey was doing ok at the back, and as the game wore on Billy McKinlay made more and more of an impact as he started to try and win every ball.

Walker was having to block shots from Hasselbaink after only 3 minutes and the Leicester keeper looked like he was in for a busy game. Thankfully Howey was there to help a few times in the next ten minutes.

As Hasselbaink came over to take a corner in front of the Kop they sang "who the f-in hell are you". Tempting fate? Oh yes. A couple of minutes later Melchiot played the ball into the path of Cole and his low cross took a deflection off Howey. Hasselbaink nipped in front of Dabizas to poke home. And then he ran off to turn his back to the City Kop and point at his name on his shirt to show us just who he was. Not going to win Mr Popularity 2004, we don't think, round these parts.

Just before half time Chelsea went two up after winning a free-kick 30 yards out. Bleeding Hasselbaink again. He took the free-kick and it took a massive deflection off poor Dabizas. Noithing he or walker could do as it went in. Dabizas held his head in his hands as if he was going to cry. Probably not the best of starts for his home debut.

Half time and Birchy's mic didn't work. When it eventually did they turned the tables on him and presented him with one of the fruit bowl things.

Micky obviously had words and City came out a lot stronger and more focussed. Certainly gave a better showing for the next 40 minutes and had a few chances.

There were a few battles going on, mainly involving Dickov, who had a decent second half, and Desaiily, although Billy McKinlay didn't seem overly fond of Hasselbaink either. Early in the second half Desailly tried to elbow Dickov's head off, off the ball. Plenty of scrapping took place all half, with Dickov hardly given anything despite several off the ball incidents that could have meant a penalty for us.

Up at the other end Uriah Rennie got sick of Hasselbaink whining on and booked him for dissent when the Chelsea striker wasn't happy about a penalty decision that didn't go their way. We chuckled.

Micky made a couple of changes, bringing off Nalis and Bent, and replacing them with Les Ferdinand and Paul Brooker. City carried on looking like they could still maybe get a goal back and the Kop started singing "We're going to win 3-2".

Callum Davidson got our hopes up even more with a fantastic swerving and dipping shot, but Cudicini made an amazing fingertip save. When's he going to become English?!

Terry cleared a Scowcroft header off the line and Dickov poked the ball wide of the post and then it went wrong.

3 minutes from time and Mutu showed his skill by curling a ball past the diving Walker.

"We're going to win 4-3" sang the Kop as thousands of Leicester fans deserted their team and left early. "Loyal Supporters" sang those that remained to see Babayaro put another in after a mistake from Brooker who'd come on as sub.

"We're going to win 5-4!" sang one lonely voice and quickly trailed off...but the Kop decided to have a disco and keep their peckes up, and then thankfully the whistle went.

By the time we got home the Net was rife with rumours, courtesy of a steward at the game, of Muzzy having already being sold to Spurs, and the Spurs club shop already getting shirts ready with Izzet on them.

Sometimes it's hard being a Leiecster fan...