Leeds United dealt a major blow to Chelsea’s Premier League title ambitions with a commanding 3-1 victory at Elland Road, easing pressure on manager Daniel Farke and leaving the Blues nine points behind leaders Arsenal.
Farke’s decision to stick with the 3-5-2 formation, which had sparked a second-half fightback in their defeat at Manchester City, proved decisive as Leeds dominated Chelsea and moved three points clear of the relegation zone.
Chelsea had entered the match in strong form, with impressive performances against Arsenal and Barcelona placing them firmly in the title conversation.
However, the trip to West Yorkshire delivered a harsh reality check for Enzo Maresca’s side, who faced a Leeds team coming off four consecutive losses.
Leeds took control early, heading into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Jaka Bijol opened the scoring with a bullet header at the near post, and Ao Tanaka added a stunning long-range strike, leaving Chelsea struggling to adapt to Leeds’ new shape.
Chelsea responded after the break, with Pedro Neto pulling one back following a defensive lapse by Gabriel Gudmundsson. But Leeds quickly restored their two-goal cushion when Noah Okaforcapitalized on a sloppy pass from Tosin, setting up Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score for the second consecutive game.
Farke’s tactical gamble appears to have paid off, providing a glimmer of hope in the relegation battleand suggesting that Leeds may have found a formula to turn their season around.
