Chelsea slip up in Premier League title race as Leeds end losing run and move out of relegation zone

Jaka Bijol headed Leeds into an early lead with his first goal for the club and Ao Tanaka arrowed a brilliant strike into the bottom corner for his first of the season two minutes before half-time.

Chelsea pulled one back soon after the restart through substitute Pedro Neto.

But Dominic Calvert-Lewin restored Leeds’ two-goal advantage as the Yorkshire side snapped a four-game losing run to ease some of the pressure on under-fire boss Daniel Farke.

The Londoners beat Barcelona 3-0 at Stamford Bridge last week and held Arsenal 1-1 with 10 men on Sunday.

But they were ambushed at Elland Road and lost ground on leaders Arsenal and Manchester City.

A fierce rivalry stretching back to the late 1960s resumed at Elland Road amid a white-hot atmosphere at kick-off.

Leeds tore into the Londoners before sweeping into a sixth-minute lead.

Anton Stach’s corner to the near post picked out the charging Bijol and although Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez got a hand to the big Slovenia defender’s thumping header, it was too powerful to keep out.

Leeds never allowed their opponents to settle in the opening 20 minutes and wasted further chances through Pascal Struijk and Tanaka before Chelsea began to get a foothold in the game.

But the visitors had to wait 39 minutes before carving out their first chance, through Liam Delap, which was easily gathered by Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.

Leeds had lost after scoring the first goal in two of their last three matches, but doubled their lead two minutes before the interval.

Striker Lukas Nmecha won back possession for the home side deep in Chelsea’s half and the ball fell for Tanaka, who could not have caught his 25-yard strike any sweeter as it flew into the bottom corner.

Chelsea hauled themselves back into it five minutes into the second half when Jamie Gittens evaded Jayden Bogle on the left and crossed to the far post for the unmarked Neto to turn home his fifth league goal of the season.

Leeds’ response was immediate but Nmecha’s emphatic finish was ruled out for offside before Chelsea withdrew Gittens and Delap for Alejandro Garnacho and Cole Palmer.

The latter, making his first appearance since September 20 after recovering from groin and toe injuries, spurned a golden chance from Garnacho’s cut-back.

Leeds regained their two-goal advantage in the 72nd minute. Tosin Adarabioyo’s back-pass to Sanchez was short and when Leeds substitute Noah Okafor challenged for the ball, it squirmed clear for Calvert-Lewin to tap home.

Chelsea, who have now won only six of their 49 league visits to Elland Road, had plenty of possession in the closing stages.

But Gabriel Gudmundsson and Okafor wasted further chances for Leeds, who held firm for three crucial points and their first since late October.

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