Chelsea came back from two goals down to hammer Leeds United 6-3 in the third round of the Carabao Cup at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening. Xabi Alonso’s side were well beaten before the break, but a second-half fightback saw the West London club through to the fourth round.
The visitors went ahead when Tarik Muharemovic headed in a Harry Wilson corner, and Brenden Aaronson doubled the lead just three minutes after the break. Ethan Ampadu won the ball high up the pitch to start that second goal, before Lukas Nmecha flicked it to the American midfielder.
An audacious quadruple substitution at the interval completely changed the contest. Alonso made four changes, with Reece James, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Pedro Neto all coming in for Jamie Gittens, Reggie Watson, Estevao and Malo Gusto. Palmer slotted a penalty after Daniel James was deemed to have fouled an opponent in the penalty area, before curling in a precise equaliser beyond Michael Zetterer.
Rogers then ran the demolition, setting up Neto in the 60th minute and Welbeck five minutes later. Leeds had a glimmer of hope when Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired home from close range after Noah Okafor’s pass in the 75th minute. Zetterer could not deal with another Rogers penetrating cross from the right, and Barco snuffed out the visitors’ resistance.
Welbeck then nodded in Barco’s delivery deep into stoppage time to complete a remarkable nine-goal thriller. That takes Chelsea’s goals under Alonso to 16 in his first five matches in charge. But Daniel Farke’s side, who made eight changes of their own, exit the competition despite an admirable first half.
Chelsea will find out their fourth-round opponents on 16 September when the draw takes place following Manchester United’s tie with Brighton. But Alonso is concentrating on Saturday’s Premier League assignment against Hull City at Stamford Bridge.
British record fee justified by Morgan Rogers’ match-changing cameo
Morgan Rogers arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer as the most expensive British footballer in history, and his contribution against Leeds was emphatic vindication of that. The 23-year-old joined from Aston Villa in July in a deal understood to be worth £117m, surpassing the £116m Manchester City paid Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson.
Rogers, who came on at half-time, notched three assists and also created the chance that led to Barco netting Chelsea’s fifth goal. The England international had already scored within two minutes at Arsenal last weekend and stressed the immediate nature of his adjustment to Alonso’s methods.
He joined Villa from Middlesbrough in February 2024 and scored 21 goals in 85 Premier League games for the club. Wednesday’s intervention served to suggest Chelsea’s considerable outlay could prove entirely judicious, while Rogers has penned a deal until 2033.