’s face mentioned all of it. His mouth agasp in utter disbelief, the 94th-minute open-goal miss of maybe signalled the tip of ’s honeymoon interval. And as soon as extra, it’s towards Leeds United the place fortunes change for a Chelsea supervisor.
Earlier than the go to of ’s males, Rosenior’s early profession on the Stamford Bridge helm consisted of seven wins in 9 video games, solely struggling defeat in Chelsea’s two Carabao Cup semi-final legs towards quadruple-chasing Arsenal. His spectacular document had admittedly been aided by a beneficial run of league fixtures, along with his solely top-half opponents coming within the type of Brentford in mid-January. However contemplating the backlash from a portion of the fanbase following his appointment, alarm bells have been but to essentially sound on BlueCo’s choose.
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Dropped factors towards Leeds, nonetheless, may very well be the truth verify that shifts the tide, as was the case in December. The guests’ plunged a membership with a rising ambition of a title cost into turmoil. Defeat at Elland Highway, eight days on from a , could be seen because the turning level that led to Enzo Maresca’s messy demise. A month and two wins in seven video games later, .
Chelsea have been overrun in that contest, falling sufferer to a blistering begin by Daniel Farke’s aspect as they fell behind inside six minutes. There was a short sense the identical was about to occur when Jayden Bogle, bizarrely taking part in in a second striker function somewhat than his ordinary wing-back place, discovered himself within the Blues field inside 60 seconds, a break stemming from Cole Palmer giving the ball away cheaply. With out in help, who misplaced his race to make health, Bogle ended up working the ball out of play, but it surely was an early glimmer of hope for the guests.
That glimmer was swiftly snuffed out as Chelsea grew more and more comfy. Leeds grew to become camped in their very own half because the hosts pressed and probed, who discovered the breakthrough within the twenty fourth minute because of a scything Chelsea transfer, cutely completed by Joao Pedro after being slipped in by Palmer.
Joao Pedro opened the scoring for Chelsea (Getty)
That’s eight purpose contributions in his final 9 outings for the Brazilian, who had seen his star fade after an electrical begin to his Chelsea profession. The moment influence he made in New Jersey final summer season, lighting up the latter levels of the Membership World Cup earlier than carrying that type into the opening weeks of the season, led many to tip him because the ’s signing of the season. He’s now rediscovering the efficiency that justified that preliminary hype.
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The roles of Chelsea goalscorer and supplier have been swapped after the break, in a manner. Jaka Bijol gifted the Blues a penalty within the 56th minute, pushing Joao Pedro within the again with each palms to ship the striker tumbling over. The Slovene’s appeals have been pointless – it was stonewall. And off the again of his first-half hat-trick at Molineux – together with two transformed spot-kicks – there was no mistake from Palmer, tucking previous Karl Darlow to double his aspect’s lead.
Cole Palmer doubled Chelsea’s benefit from the spot (Chelsea FC through Getty Photographs)
Chelsea have been cruising, with Rosenior wanting on track for an fourth straight league win. The brand new Blues boss has up to now seemed impermeable to an upset – however then the wheels got here off.
Simply because it appeared a slipshod problem down one finish had put the sport out of sight for Leeds, a slipshod problem down the opposite finish supplied the guests a manner again. Moises Caicedo’s tripping of Bogle gave referee John Brooks one other easy resolution to make, and Lukas Nmecha – deputising for Calvert-Lewin – despatched Robert Sanchez the incorrect manner.
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Six minutes later, issues weren’t so black and white for the referee. Noah Okafor tucked into an open web after a calamitous mix-up between Sanchez and Josh Acheampong, who didn’t clear the ball after Bogle had pressured himself into the field. It appeared, nonetheless, that Chelsea’s sinners would get a reprieve, with replays exhibiting the ball to have touched Bogle’s arm within the build-up.
Noah Okafor contentiously fired Leeds degree (Getty Photographs)
A delay ensued – not so long as we’ve seen within the current previous, however one important sufficient for dwelling followers to imagine a jog to the monitor was imminent. However that didn’t come; the purpose was given. Leeds have been resurrected, Chelsea crestfallen.
Farke’s aspect nonetheless had 1 / 4 of an hour to outlive as Chelsea upped the ante, however whereas taking no credit score away from their defensive reslience, there was a way it simply wouldn’t fall for the hosts now that they’d surrendering whole management.
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Joao Pedro was practically the hero as his late header crashed off the bar, but it surely’s Palmer who can have sleepless nights after skying a last-gasp probability with the purpose gaping from a few yards out. Caicedo, who will need to have thought he’d arrange a late winner when squaring it throughout the six-yard field, couldn’t fairly imagine his talisman hadn’t scored as he seemed lifelessly into the Matthew Harding Stand.
Palmer was dejected after lacking a late sitter (Chelsea FC through Getty Photographs)
Palmer was crouched, dejected, earlier than the full-time whistle even went, with Leeds winding down the ultimate seconds of the clock. For Farke’s aspect, it’s one other level in direction of survival.
Champions League qualification stays paramount for the Blues and this consequence by itself is not going to hurt them an excessive amount of, with sixth-placed Liverpool going into the matchweek 4 factors adrift. However as we noticed on the tail-end of 2025, issues can snowball and quick. Simply ask Rosenior’s predecessor.