By LIAM MORGAN, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Published: 18:28 EST, 3 December 2025 | Updated: 18:29 EST, 3 December 2025
Gary Neville lambasted Chelsea's defending as he singled out two stars for criticism in the Blues' 3-1 defeat by Leeds on Wednesday.
Enzo Maresca's side were soundly beaten at Elland Road as goals from Jaka Bijol, Ao Tanaka and Dominic Calvert-Lewin sealed a comfortable win for the hosts.
Neville was scathing of the manner in which Chelsea conceded the third, with Calvert-Lewin able to tap home into an empty net after a defensive mix-up involving Malo Gusto and Tosin Adarabioyo.
Gusto had played Tosin into trouble but he was caught on the ball and Neville said: 'It's a nightmare for Maresca and a dream for Leeds. They've kept pushing, they've always been a threat.
'Chelsea have given them encouragement after encouragement after encouragement.
'The centre-backs have been sloppy all night. I'm not sure if Gusto's pass to Chalobah is the right one, you just have to welly it up the pitch. What are you doing trying to control it and play it back in there? And Sanchez… it is difficult for him.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin tapped home Leeds' third goal after a defensive mix-up from Chelsea
Gary Neville was scathing of Chelsea's defenders and called the performance a 'mess'
'That front two for Leeds have beaten Chelsea up for 72 minutes.
'What a mess. Chelsea's defenders have been poor on the ball all night, playing it into their own six yard box to each other.'
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said Chelsea had enough to qualify for the Champions League but were nowhere near the standard of winning a Premier League title.
'Chelsea will finish in the top four or five but that's it,' he said. 'Those centre-backs were poor, slow on the ball, defending, the goalkeeper is not a title winning goalkeeper and those forwards are not of the level to win a team like Chelsea a title.'
Pedro Neto, who came off the bench at half-time and scored Chelsea's only goal, suggested the Blues - fresh from a spirited display against Arsenal on Sunday - had taken their opponents for granted.
'They were better than us at everything,' Neto told Sky Sports. 'It's difficult to take, we have to learn from that but we have to clear our minds, it happens. We are already focused on Bournemouth.
'Sometimes it happens, we had a bad day, they had more intensity, attitude, won the second balls and had more desire than us. We cannot take games for granted.
'Of course it hurts, it's the worst part in football, Sometimes you can lose and say you gave everything on the pitch, but toady we have to take some responsibility, all of us. Sometimes it happens, we are human. We had a really good month, it's just a bad day. We don't have explanation for that. Everyone wants to win.'
Pedro Neto suggested Chelsea had taken Leeds for granted in an honest verdict on the display
Chelsea are now nine points behind leaders Arsenal, who beat Brentford 2-0 to move five clear of nearest challengers Manchester City.
Maresca's side travel to Bournemouth in their next Premier League outing on Saturday.