Rampant Chelsea Hit Six To Stun Leeds In EFL Cup Comeback
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| Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers celebrate after Chelsea’s goal |
Chelsea 6-3 Leeds: Alonso’s Chaotic Chelsea Mount Six-Goal Comeback To Sink Leeds. Palmer and Welbeck star in wild EFL Cup comeback
At 16, Watson became Chelsea’s fourth-youngest player ever...
Chelsea came from two goals down to thrash Leeds 6-3 in a wild EFL Cup third-round tie on Wednesday. Cole Palmer and Danny Welbeck led the comeback as the Blues advanced in a Stamford Bridge thriller.
Xabi Alonso’s side looked set for an early exit after Tarik Muharemovic opened the scoring in the first half, before Brenden Aaronson doubled Leeds’ lead shortly after the restart.
Alonso turned to Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Pedro Neto and Reece James at half-time, and the quadruple change sparked Chelsea’s comeback.
Palmer scored twice to level it, Neto put Chelsea ahead, and Welbeck added a fourth. Calvert-Lewin pulled one back for Leeds, but late goals from Valentin Barco and Welbeck again sent the Blues into the fourth round.
A 2-1 loss to Premier League champions Arsenal on Sunday had brought Alonso’s three-game winning start to an end.
The Chelsea boss responded with another chaotic win that’s become the trademark of his early tenure.
Chelsea have scored 16 goals in Alonso’s first five games, a clear sign of their attacking firepower.
But they have also shipped 10, showing the defensive problems from last season remain despite the change in the dugout.
Despite spending £349m ($472m) in the transfer window, Chelsea finished against Arsenal with James and Malo Gusto both natural right-backs deployed in central midfield.
Alonso tried another experimental midfield for the cup tie, handing a debut to teenager Reggie Watson alongside Argentine youngster Valentin Barco.
Alonso went with another experimental midfield as debutant Reggie Watson started alongside Argentine youngster Valentin Barco.
At 16, Watson became Chelsea’s fourth-youngest player ever. He is the son of Ben Watson, who scored Wigan’s 2013 FA Cup final winner against Manchester City.
Alonso’s decision to make nine changes looked risky when Leeds took the lead from a 23rd-minute corner.
Chelsea's Goal Spree
Leeds caught Chelsea napping from a corner as Harry Wilson’s far-post delivery found Tarik Muharemovic, and the Bosnian defender powered home his first goal for the club past Mike Penders.
The visitors weren’t rattled by Chelsea’s half-time triple change. They doubled their lead three minutes after the restart when Ethan Ampadu’s cross was nodded on by Lukas Nmecha for Brenden Aaronson to finish clinically.
Chelsea were handed a way back into it five minutes later. Daniel James was adjudged to have fouled Pep Chavarria, and Cole Palmer calmly converted the penalty to spark the comeback.
Chelsea Hit Top Gear
Chelsea suddenly turned the screw and Neto made it 3-2 in the 60th minute, curling a superb 20-yard effort past Michael Zetterer.
Alonso’s side struck again just minutes later. Welbeck swivelled and fired a powerful shot that beat Zetterer’s weak attempt at a save, making it four goals in 12 wild minutes.
Leeds pulled one back in the 75th minute as Calvert-Lewin finished coolly from Noah Okafor’s pass.
But Chelsea restored their three-goal cushion 5 minutes later when Zetterer fumbled Rogers’ cross and Barco tapped into an empty net.
Welbeck put the gloss on it in stoppage time, heading in from close range after Barco’s shot was parried.
🤯 NINE goals at Stamford Bridge! It was 0-2 on 48’! #EFL | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/tdf8b99iR3
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) September 9, 2026
Other EFL Cup Third-Round Ties
Holders Manchester City face Norwich and Premier League champions Arsenal take on Ipswich in their third-round matches next week.
Liverpool host Tottenham at Anfield, while Manchester United welcome Brighton to Old Trafford both ties also set for next week.
Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Bradford had all already booked their spots in the fourth round with wins on Tuesday.
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