Chelsea 6-3 Leeds Utd | HIGHLIGHTS | Carabao Cup 2026/27

Chelsea vs. Leeds United is always a blockbuster fixture in the calendar of both clubs. And this time, it's a knockout. A place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup is the prize awaiting one of these teams who renew hostilities formed from an infamous final meeting more than 50 years ago. Back in 2026, both sides had made decent starts to the season. The Whites arrived unbeaten in four, whilst the Blues won their opening three games of the campaign before slipping to a narrow defeat on Sunday. This is a competition which takes on adding significance to both with neither involved in European action. Chelsea five times League Cup winners, but the last of those was over a decade ago. Leeds have only ever lifted this trophy once. That was way back in 1968. Finish 2-2 when the sides met here in the league in February. A draw tonight would mean a penalty shootout to determine who goes through to round four. Slightly later than scheduled. We are just about ready to go. Team news makes for very interesting reading. Nine changes to the Chelsea side from Sunday. The headline, a debut for 16-year-old Reggie Watson, the fourth youngest player in the history of the club. Lacroix and Achanpon are the two who keep their places. Danny Welbeck leads the line. A strong bench includes João Pedro, Farmer and Rodgers. In the five seconds and a few more there, it's causing chaos in the box though. A brilliant save from Penders. Not once, but twice. Oh my goodness gracious me. Mike Penders. Welcome to Stamford Bridge. Didn't have anything to do on his debut. He's just pulled off two phenomenal saves within the space of a few seconds. Yeah, I think the Chelsea players are appealing for handball. Yes, certainly. Off Aronson. Definitely hits his arm, but then the save from Penders. Let's not take anything away from the goalkeeper here. Chelsea under a bit of pressure here from the visitors. Wilson again delivers. Went very deep that time. Headed back across, goal and in. And Leeds take the lead. The corner went all the way through to the far stick. Nobody in blue could get a connection on it. And in a game that has had barely a sniff of a chance, it's a big, big moment for Tarek Muhammadovic, who gets his first Leeds goal and puts the visitors in front. Yeah, a couple of warning signs, wasn't there? And that one goes really deep. The delivery well beyond the far post. And you've got to say it's a brilliant header. We'll get a better idea in a moment or two as to whether he's trying to score. Just head this back into the danger area for a teammate. I mean, he's almost on the byline. It's an excellent header. Here is Wilson. Here is Wilson, rather. He and Aronson, pretty similar in appearance and hairstyle. Here's Barko. You can always tell when he's got the ball. Shut your eyes and you'd know. Picked up by Ampadu. Into a crossing position. Worked it across to Metcher. Real chance for 2-0, Brendan Aronson. Big, big trouble now. He's taken Leeds two minutes in the second half to double their lead. Massive gap in the Chelsea penalty area. Aronson there to sweep in. And those four changes have had no time to make an impact. Forward by James. Ooh, over the head of Daniel James. Penalty. Chavarria brought down. Gerard Gillett paying attention. And Chelsea have a route back into the game. Well, it's half an appeal, isn't it? Not even too many Chelsea fans appealed for that. But there was definitely contact. And the way Chavarria goes down, he's definitely been caught. But it's a very innocuous one because Leeds have dealt with the danger. So it takes that touch. By the letter of the law, yes. But you don't see it given very often, do you? Cole Palmer scored a penalty against Leeds in the Premier League here last season. Can he do it in the Carabao Cup? Gorsie Kemp. Perfect Palmer penalty. And it's game on at the bridge. Goalkeeper gets right. And Palmer sucked it right into the corner so he couldn't get gloves to it. 2-1. Yeah, brilliant penalty. And you're right. It gets down there. He's edging that way already. He's slightly left. He was always going to that corner. But the quality is there. Palmer going to go for it. Oh, he's got a problem. Why don't you call Chelsea's mercurial midfielder? Cole Palmer again. Ole, ole. 2-2 in the blink of an eye. Yeah, that's just using opposition players. So the goalkeeper is unsighted. Doesn't need to put any power on it. He knows when he opens up his body. He can find the direction. It's really cute from Rodgers. And he uses the centre half. The goal scorer, I think it is. Well done, Morgan Rodgers. Here's Barco. And a tight squeeze did well. Well back. It's a break for Cole Palmer. You can get Rodgers going here. Rodgers having to slide in. It broke for Neto! And the turnaround is complete. Just like that. Pedro Neto. A brilliant Chelsea goal started by Palmer. Rodgers with the piece of quick thinking. And Neto with the finish. Chelsea were 2-0 down a couple of minutes ago. Now it's 3-2 to the Blues. And I probably take it back to that little bit of play from Barco in the midfield. Well back as well. And then they just shift it really well. I was anticipating maybe Neto before another pass. I was looking for another pass. There was a Chelsea player arriving on the left-hand side of the 18-yard box. Completely unmarked. But it's a very similar finish to that of Palmer to make it 2-2 a few moments ago. Great spot from Cole Palmer. Morgan Rodgers could have taken the strike on but opted to just shift it one more. And Neto finds that same corner that Palmer did. Look at Paul Calvert-Lewin. Staffed and he's Rodgers. Oh, that might come from Welbeck. Really clever. Danny Welbeck! Efficient! What a goal! What a game! Welbeck 2-2 in the League Cup. He worked so hard to get that opportunity. Just like he has done all night. And will he have scored four times? All himself. But Paul Calvert-Lewin as the other two goal scorers in Palmer and Neto. Welbeck gets his goal. But look at the work from Rodgers once more. And he gets his reward. Gets his goal. 2-2 in this competition. And Chelsea in an unbelievable position now to go on and win this game. Decent cut back. Calvert-Lewin 4-3. Loves a goal against Chelsea. Does Dominic Calvert-Lewin. And we're not done yet. 15 to go. Nobody aware really of that position. Lacroix has a little look at him but he doesn't get back in to stop that. Making his way across the 18-yard box onto the side foot. Calvert-Lewin close enough to Penders for him to maybe be frustrated but loads of pace on his finish. Rodgers again. Onto the box he goes. Right across the face. There's Barco! To get his first Chelsea goal. It's crazy. Second half takes another twist. 5-3. Unbelievable. I was going to say that's probably the first mistake Rodgers has made. When he's fouled by Rhys James earlier in the move but he finds himself in a position to deliver once more on the right-hand side and don't take anything away from Barco. And that finish still got a lot to do but he finds the space at the near post. Drills it brilliantly into the net and surely, famous last words, that's it for the night and Chelsea can make their way through. Second half. Chelsea have scored six goals in it. They were 2-0 down. Now the champagne corks are popping. Yeah, Rodgers, Palmer, that's lovely. That's wildly mishit and Welbeck is well onside. Deceiving up here at the top of the east stand. He looked tight to being offside but redirects it perfectly. Stays switched on. Immaculate contact and another great night in the cup for Danny Welbeck as well. That's a really clever header. Incredible second half of football at Stamford Bridge. Just incredible. Chelsea a goal down at the break. Quickly two after the restart but then the quadruple substitution paid off. Not in this order because I've lost count to be perfectly honest but Palmer got two, Neto got one, Welbeck got a couple and Valentin Barco got his first Chelsea goal as well. Aronson and Calvert-Lewin scored in the second half A lot of Carabao Cup ties in the early rounds fade into the memory fairly quickly. I think we might remember this one for a while. Improbably, unbelievably, it finishes at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea 6-3 Leeds United.