Chelsea's title challenge damaged by defeat at Leeds
Chelseas Premier League title aspirations took a significant hit after they fell to a surprise 3-1 loss against struggling Leeds at Elland Road on Wednesday.
Enzo Marescas team suffered due to a dismal first half display which saw Leeds score through Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka.
Pedro Neto pulled one back following the break yet Chelsea allowed a comical third goal to Dominic Calvert-Lewin late in the match.
Being beaten by a Leeds team sitting fourth from bottom and coming off four straight defeats represented a massive blow to Chelseas chances of rivalling table toppers Arsenal for the championship.
The Blues now endure their initial loss in eight outings across all tournaments placing them nine points adrift of Arsenal who sit in fourth.
Chelsea missed key midfielder Moises Caicedo following the Ecuadorians red card during Sundays heated 1-1 stalemate with Arsenal.
The Blues had bounced back from Caicedos sending off to go ahead via Trevoh Chalobah but failed to defend it as Mikel Merino grabbed Arsenals leveller.
Maresca chose to bench Neto Reece James and Wesley Fofana aiming to revitalise his squad.
However Chelsea appeared exhausted from their prolonged ten-man effort against Arsenal and Leeds capitalised on their psychological and bodily weariness.
Leeds opened the scoring after only six minutes as Anton Stachs corner found Bijol who outjumped Liam Delap to head powerfully beyond Robert Sanchez.
Rude awakening
Chelsea had secured victory in just 29 percent of league fixtures without Caicedo starting and they faltered once more absent their vital engine.
Pascal Struijk nodded narrowly past from yet another corner highlighting Chelseas sluggishness defensively.
Delap fluffed a promising opportunity to draw Chelsea level contrary to the games flow.
Leedss exquisite second strike in the 43rd minute served as a harsh jolt to Chelseas title ambitions.
Japanese playmaker Tanaka collected the ball near the Chelsea box and fired a thunderous effort that flew by Sanchez.
Chelsea have never overturned a Premier League away defeat when down by two or more at the interval.
Neto entered as a substitute to spark hopes of breaking that poor run in the 50th minute.
Jamie Gittens lofted a delivery into the six-yard area where Neto controlled before smashing in his fifth top-flight strike this campaign.
Delap blasted wide of the post to the irritation of Maresca as Chelsea pushed for parity.
Maresca introduced Cole Palmer marking the Englanders return after two months sidelined by injuries including a broken toe from banging it on a door.
Palmer linking with fellow forward Alejandro Garnacho nearly forced an instant leveller.
Garnachos surge and delivery set Palmer for a close-range effort from 10 yards that narrowly missed.
Yet Chelsea erred disastrously to hand Leeds the winner in the 72nd minute.
It proved chaotic as Malo Gustos pass in his own penalty area pressured Tosin Adarabioyo.
Adarabioyos hasty clearance towards Sanchez was nicked by Noah Okafor and though the Chelsea goalkeeper parried the follow-up Calvert-Lewin slotted home into the unguarded goal leaving Maresca stunned.