Chelsea substitutes blitz Leeds in second half to secure Carabao Cup comeback

The visitors led 2-0 just after half-time against a Blues side showing nine changes but after Xabi Alonso sent on Cole Palmer, everything changed

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer scores their side's first goal of the game from the penalty spot. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

Chelsea scored four times in 12 second-half minutes as Leeds suffered a Carabao Cup collapse to lose 6-3 in the third round at Stamford Bridge.

The visitors led 2-0 just after half-time thanks to Tarik Muharemovic and Brenden Aaronson against a Blues side showing nine changes from Sunday’s defeat to Arsenal, but after Xabi Alonso sent on Cole Palmer at the head of four half-time substitutions, everything changed.

Palmer got two in two minutes to equalise – the first a penalty – then Pedro Neto, another half-time introduction, scored to complete a six-minute turnaround.

Danny Welbeck made it four as Morgan Rogers marked his impact from the bench with three assists.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored as Leeds looked to pick up the shattered pieces of what had been an excellent away performance, but which was rubber-stamped as a horror show when Valentin Barco got his first goal for the club to make it five. Welbeck headed in a sixth in stoppage time.

A topsy-turvy game was further evidence of Chelsea’s new reality under Alonso, that they have a fine first XI capable of scintillating attacking football but a squad that lacks quality in depth and is defensively brittle.

Their second string were a poor second best in the first half. Understudy goalkeeper Mike Penders made two impressive save but then a costly error to hand leads their opener, conceding a needless corner from which Muharemovic headed in.

There was barely a flicker of a response from the Blues. Their only chance came when Reggie Watson – the debutant 16-year-old son of former Wigan defender Ben – started a move with a lovely ball out wide that was flicked by Pep Chavarria into the path of Jamie Gittens, whose drive was pushed into the side-netting by goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.

Alonso evidently had seen enough. He sent on Reece James alongside Rogers, Neto and Palmer for the second half, but Chelsea’s situation got worse almost immediately.

Just over two minutes in, Barco lost possession needlessly and Leeds worked it wide to Ethan Ampadu who crossed, Lukas Nmecha flicked on deftly and Aaronson strode onto the ball unmarked to slam home.

Then the came a remarkable fightback, led by Rogers and Palmer. Dan James stood on the foot of Chavarria and from the penalty spot Palmer made it 2-1.

His goal to equalise only seconds later was well taken but surely an error from Zetterer, a gentle caress of a finish into the corner that left the goalkeeper inexplicably rooted to the spot.

Neto rolled Chelsea into the lead from Rogers’ pass before the hour mark as Leeds’ capitulation continued apace.

Welbeck’s goal was arguably the best of the lot. Rogers picked him out with a low ball into the box but the the veteran striker had everything still to do, dragging the ball inside before dodging by his defender and firing straight through Zetterer.

Calvert-Lewin finished well from Noah Okafor’s cross as Leeds found a renewed hope, one that was quickly extinguished when Barco drilled in a fifth, before Welbeck headed his third Blues goal.