Leicester edged past MK Dons to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup in their first game since the World Cup.
Uri Tillmans and Aves Perez gave the Foxes a two-goal cushion by the break before Jamie Vardy added another.
His finesse was a step up and proved too much for the third tier MK Dons.
“We were hoping it would be a great game for us to start the Premier League again and it was,” Leicester assistant manager Chris Davies said.
Thirty-eight days after the Foxes last played a competitive fixture, Brendan Rodgers’ side did not look like a team lacking match sharpness, and early warning shots were fired by Perez and Timothee Castagan.
Davies added: “It was a really good evening for us, really positive, after a couple of weeks away from competitive games, it was really good to come back with a good performance and a win.
“The cohesion was really good, we had the majority of the squad with us in our training camp.”
Both efforts missed the target but they soon found a way to beat the goalkeeper when Jamie Cummings was on hand to score the Tillmen’s home opener after a brave Vardy backheel pushed into the Belgian’s path.
Leicester’s second came when Perez produced a deft touch inside the 18-yard box before curling Luke Thomas’ long ball into the back of the net.
The hosts struggled to make an impression and failed to capitalize on their best chance as Daniel Harvey curled a half-volley over the bar shortly before the break.
Leicester’s dominance increased after the break and Vardy made it three when he nodded in Castagne’s dunked cross to complete the scoring in a one-sided victory.
The return of James Maddison will boost the Foxes when they take on Newcastle United on Boxing Day in their first Premier League game since the break, with the midfielder missing Tuesday’s game.
Maddison was part of the England squad for the World Cup in Qatar but did not feature in any of the matches.
