Chelsea stun Leeds with 6-3 second-half comeback

Chelsea trailed 2-0 at half-time to Leeds in the Carabao Cup third round and still won 6-3, scoring four times in 12 second-half minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Xabi Alonso made nine changes from Sunday's defeat to Arsenal, and his second string were second best for 45 minutes. Tarik Muharemovic headed in from a corner conceded by understudy goalkeeper Mike Penders, then Brenden Aaronson added a second shortly after the break. Chelsea's only real chance in that spell came from 16-year-old debutant Reggie Watson, son of former Wigan defender Ben, whose pass set up Jamie Gittens, saved by Michael Zetterer.

Alonso sent on four substitutes at half-time, and the game turned inside six minutes. Cole Palmer, one of the four, equalised from the penalty spot and then added a second within two minutes. Pedro Neto, another of the introductions, made it 3-2. Danny Welbeck put Chelsea 4-2 up, with Morgan Rogers, also sent on at the break, providing three assists in the space of the turnaround. Dominic Calvert-Lewin pulled one back for Leeds, but Valentin Barco scored his first goal for the club to make it 5-3, and Welbeck headed in a sixth in stoppage time.

Rogers made light of finishing on the losing side of the player-of-the-match vote.

Palmer put it down to his penalty starting the fightback, telling Rogers he would make sure people knew he should have had the award instead.

Chelsea's comeback continues a pattern under Alonso this season: a first-choice side capable of scoring freely, alongside a squad short of cover and vulnerable at the back once changes are made. Sunday's loss to Arsenal and Saturday's collapse to two down against Leeds both point the same way, and how Alonso addresses that gap in depth may shape how far Chelsea go once the fixture list thickens.