Leeds United 3-0 Chelsea
If Leeds United have enjoyed better days than this since returning to the top flight in 2020, then I am yet to remember one.
Sure, they managed to beat Spurs (May 2021) and champions-in-waiting Manchester City (April 2021) during their maiden campaign back but, in both cases, there were extenuating circumstances for their opponents.
Not so this time.
From start to finish, Jesse March’s men were on it, their work rate and hunger eventually wearing Chelsea down after two goals in four minutes stunned the aristocrats from West London.
The scene had arguably been set for a potentially tempestuous Premier League encounter when Marsch claimed Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel should not be in the away team’s dugout at Elland Road – this after the German was sent off at full-time in Chelsea’s draw with Tottenham following a clash with Antonio Conte.
He got his wish when the ban was confirmed on Friday and Tuchel was all but helpless as the home side turned the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds on their head and made it a day of Premier League highlights for the hosts to savour.
Highlights of the game
Leeds made one change from the side which drew 2-2 at Southampton last week with Patrick Bamford ruled out with a groin injury and Daniel James starting in his place.
For Chelsea, who were left rueing the same result, pegged back by a last-gasp Harry Kane equaliser at home to Spurs, Conor Gallagher got his moment in the spotlight as the youngster was handed a berth in the starting XI. This was to replace N’Golo Kante who is facing a month on the sidelines with a hamstring strain.
It was a big moment for Gallagher, who spent last term on loan at Crystal Palace, and a league debut for the player who has come through the ranks as a Chelsea academy graduate.
Raheem Sterling threatened first for the visitors, striking just wide early on and Ruben Loftus-Cheek saw a shot blocked.
In a relentless start, the next two moments proved pivotal.
Nine minutes in and Chelsea new boy Kalidou Koulibaly was booked for holding back home player Brenden Aaronson.
Then another new recruit, Sterling, curled the ball into the far corner of the net, but was offside. Had that gone in the momentum may have gone the other way.
Instead, after Rodrigo went close and Mason Mount forced a top save from Illan Meslier, an uncharacteristic error led to the opening goal.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy dwelled on the ball too long from a backpass and, in keeping with the nature of the contest, was given no time as Aaronson nipped in and tapped into an empty net.
As Leeds grew in confidence, one quickly became two as the in-form Rodrigo flicked a header into the far corner and Elland Road was bouncing.
For all their efforts at a comeback, Chelsea were again matched stride by stride for Leeds after the break.
The visitors came close when Gallagher turned his man and rifled in an effort which dribbled narrowly wide but, with 21 minutes remaining, the home fans were in dreamland when Rodrigo touched a James cross into the path of Jack Harrison and Leeds had their first Premier League victory over Chelsea in seven attempts.
What’s more, Marsch’s men avoided setting a new Premier League record of 14 consecutive home games without a clean sheet – their longest run since a club top-flight record of 17 between October 1946 and August 1956.
Chelsea’s misery was compounded when Koulibaly was shown a second yellow card for tripping home substitute Joe Gelhardt.
Key statistics
Aaronson’s opener was the first time that an American player has scored a Premier League goal under an American manager.
Rodrigo has become just the fourth Leeds player to score in their first three top-flight matches in a season, after Arthur Hydes in 1933-34, Mick Jones in 1968-69 and Bamford in 2020-21.
This was Leeds’ first win in eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea, a run stretching back to December 2002.
Since the start of the 2017-18 season, Koulibaly has been sent off six times in Serie A and the Premier League combined – the most of any player in the big-five European leagues during this period.
Leeds have only kept six clean sheets in their past 42 Premier League matches.
They have now won their opening two home matches of a season for only the second time in 13 years.
What’s next?
Leeds host fellow Yorkshire side Barnsley in the League Cup in midweek before facing Brighton in the Premier League next weekend.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are home to Leicester City on Saturday (August 27).
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