Leeds brought an end to their four-match slide with a spirited performance that disrupted Chelsea’s pursuit of the Premier League summit.
The visitors slipped to fourth place, now nine points adrift of Arsenal, after failing to match the intensity shown at Elland Road.
Under mounting pressure, Daniel Farke watched his side dominate the first period and strike twice through the first top-flight goals of Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka.
Chelsea improved after the interval, and half-time entrant Pedro Neto cut the deficit shortly after coming on, yet a defensive lapse later in the half restored Leeds’ comfort. Tosin Adarabioyo’s misjudged back-pass gifted Dominic Calvert-Lewin a simple finish, securing only Leeds’ second victory in nine matches and lifting them out of the relegation places.
It marked the club’s initial triumph over a side placed above 13th in more than three years, arriving at a moment when frustration around Farke’s future had grown. Their bright opening set the tone, with four early opportunities preceding Bijol’s powerful header from an Anton Stach corner.
Chelsea struggled for any meaningful threat before the break, with only weak efforts from Joao Pedro and Liam Delap troubling the home defense.
Leeds doubled the lead moments before halftime when Enzo Fernández lost possession near his own area, allowing Jayden Bogle to lay the ball off for Tanaka to drive in a swerving strike.
Although Enzo Maresca introduced Neto and Malo Gusto after the restart, Leeds still carved out chances through Lukas Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin before Neto volleyed in a Jamie Gittens delivery.
Chelsea turned to Cole Palmer — returning after more than two months out — and Alejandro Garnacho in search of a spark. The pair combined for a major opportunity, but Palmer dragged his attempt wide.
Moments later, Adarabioyo’s under-hit pass let Noah Okafor intercept and square for Calvert-Lewin to touch in his second goal in as many fixtures.
While Chelsea fell behind Aston Villa in the standings, Leeds climbed to 17th, three points clear of West Ham ahead of their trip to Manchester United.
Players answer Farke’s call
Before kickoff, Maresca anticipated Leeds reverting to a back five with a front pair — a system that had served them well in their spirited comeback at Manchester City.
Farke did adopt that structure, and Chelsea found it difficult to match the energy and physicality generated by the home side.
The opening goal appeared straight from the training ground: decoy runs created room for Bijol to meet a set-piece unchallenged and head past Robert Sanchez.
Elland Road responded with noise and urgency, pushing Leeds to contest every duel and maintain aggression in defense. Their intensity produced a second goal, with Tanaka unleashing a fierce, dipping finish that beat Sanchez shortly before the interval.
The contest carried echoes of historic meetings between the two clubs, marked by ferocity and determination.
Leeds showed greater drive throughout, reaffirming that Farke’s group remain firmly engaged in the battle to stay up after last season’s promotion. If they can reproduce this level of force and focus, Liverpool may encounter similar difficulties when visiting at the weekend.
Chelsea feel Caicedo’s absence
Chelsea had managed to collect only two defeats in 16 outings across competitions, surviving the loss of Palmer through injury. However, the suspension of Moisés Caicedo threatens to disrupt their campaign more significantly.
The numbers highlight his influence: only two league victories have come in eight matches without him since his arrival in 2023, compared with a far superior record when he starts.
Palmer’s creativity is undoubted, yet the squad holds multiple attacking alternatives able to fill in. Caicedo’s natural deputy, Romeo Lavia, is sidelined, and Andrey Santos struggled in Leeds, while Ethan Ampadu excelled against his former club.
Maresca rotated players with heavy workloads and injury histories, including Reece James and Wesley Fofana, who had impressed in recent high-profile fixtures. Despite that, the back line played with hesitation, and individual errors undermined their efforts.
Delap and Gittens could not convert their opportunities from the start, and Estevao risked dismissal with a reckless kick after a run of brilliant form.
Chelsea completed 630 passes — their highest league total of the season — but fashioned only a handful of true openings.
While often strong against elite opponents, their inconsistency and inability to dispatch lower-ranked sides have damaged their challenge for the crown.
