Chelsea Vs Leeds Palmer And Rogers Spark Comeback To Keep Blues In EFL Cup

Chelsea vs Leeds Palmer and Rogers Spark Comeback to Keep Blues in EFL Cup Chelsea produced a stunning second-half comeback to defeat Leeds United 6–3 at Stamford Bridge and book their place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup. The Blues looked destined for a shock exit after falling two goals behind, but Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers came off the bench to transform the contest and inspire a remarkable turnaround. Xabi Alonso made nine changes to the Chelsea side that lost to Arsenal at the weekend, with 16-year-old Reggie Watson handed his debut. The heavily rotated Blues struggled to find their rhythm as Leeds took control of the opening half. Chelsea went into the break behind and immediately found themselves in even deeper trouble after Brenden Aaronson doubled Leeds’ lead three minutes into the second half. With Chelsea facing elimination, Alonso responded by making four changes at half-time, introducing Palmer, Rogers, Pedro Neto and Reece James. Chelsea’s attacking momentum continued as Danny Welbeck extended their advantage in the 65th minute. Rogers was central to the revival, contributing to four of Chelsea’s six goals and demonstrating why Alonso’s decision to introduce him at the interval proved decisive. Leeds refused to surrender, however, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin reducing the deficit to 4–3 in the 75th minute. Chelsea responded again. Valentín Barco restored the two-goal cushion in the 80th minute before Welbeck completed his brace deep into stoppage time to seal a remarkable 6–3 victory. The victory keeps Chelsea’s EFL Cup campaign alive and gives Alonso another example of the attacking quality available to him. The comeback also highlighted the importance of Palmer and Rogers, whose introduction turned what had looked like a damaging cup defeat into one of the most dramatic wins of the competition’s third round. However, the nine-goal thriller also exposed Chelsea’s defensive weaknesses, with the Blues conceding three goals despite eventually progressing comfortably. For Alonso, the result provides another victory during his early Chelsea tenure — but also a reminder that his heavily rotated side still has plenty to improve before the season progresses.