Chelsea mount spectacular recovery via four half-time subs to see off Leeds United in Carabao Cup feast

All inhibitions are shed : Picture by @CapitalFootball UK

League Cup Third Round

Chelsea (0) 6 Palmer pen 53, 55, Pedro Neto 60, Welbeck 65, 90, Barco 80

Leeds United (1) 3 Muharemovic 23, Aarsonson 48, Calvert-Lewin 75

Four goals in a crazy 12-minute spell at the start of the second half turned a night of increasing drama on its head for Chelsea - having threatened to become one of dire embarrassment.

Rarely in recent times have the Blues played as poorly as they did in the opening half and Xabi Alonso's gamble to rest his first teamers looked like back-firing spectacularly as they fell 2-0 behind at the start of the second half.

But the cavalry came to the rescue, with one of four half-time subs, Cole Palmer, scoring twice in two minutes before another of the quartet, Pedro Neto, rattled in the third to complete a rapid, heady turnaround.

Morgan Rogers, whose lay off helped Palmer for the second of his goals, turned provider again for Pedro Neto's goal and then made it a hat-trick of assists with a pass to Danny Welbeck, who side-stepped a defender and drilled home for his first goal in Chelsea colours. Of the four newcomers, his was the most significant.

It took 20 minutes before we had anything remotely resembling a chance - amazing considering what was to unfold - but when it came, it paved the way for a Leeds breakthrough.

The Blues' League Cup keeper Mike Penders made a fine double save to deny Brenden Aaronson and a follow up header from Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic that he tipped over the bar.

But from the resulting corner, Muharemovic rose up at the far post to nod in Harry Wilson's corner to put Leeds in front. The 21-year-old stopper, playing only his second match, was not given the protection he might have expected.

Given that the initial chances also came from a long throw by Ethan Ampadu, it was little surprise that set piece coach Austin McPhee looked far from chuffed on the sidelines.

Leeds sensed opportunity and Sean Longstraff almost cashed in after a ball broke to him in the box but he put the chance over.

Chelsea created next to nothing during a dreadfully sloppy first half full of stumbles and misplaced passes Jamie Gittens perhaps came closest after getting around a defender to blast towards the near post, which was touched behind for a corner by Leeds stopper Michael Zetterer.

It was obvious to Alonso after an abject first 45 minutes that he would need to call upon some of his first-teamers to turn things around and boy did they deliver.

The Chelsea boss had been keen to test the strength in depth - with 16-year-old Reggie Watson among those given a chance. The son of Wigan FA Cup winner Ben Watson was booked for a late tackle on Wilson at the end of the first half and became one of those four half time substitutions made by Alonso.

But within minutes of the resumption, Ampadu's excellent dash down the right saw his centre brush past two players - Lukas Nmecha credited with an assist for a light touch - for Aaronson to put away.

Luckily the Blues quickly had a route back into the contest - Palmer putting away a penalty awarded for a foul by Dan James on Pep Chavarria just inside the 18-yard box near the touchline.

And just two minutes later, Palmer rolled a low shot into the bottom corner after Rogers had flicked on a throw from Josh Acheampong.

Rogers then provided the assists for first Pedro Neto, then Welbeck to put the Blues 4-2 up and unbelievably he would almost make it four with a low cross that reached Valentin Barco at the far post to thump in a low shot for his first goal for the club since his summer move from Brighton.

The Argentinian had been subjected to boos from Leeds fans for his involvement in his nation's fractious game against England in the World Cup and he clearly enjoyed the moment.

Rogers was denied a chance to claim a fourth assist only because keeper Zetterer got a touch as the ball whistled across thee face of goal but his contribution had been immense.

A shell-shocked Leeds managed a response between those last two Chelsea goals after Daniel Farke had also introduced some first team regulars, Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a cross from another sub, Noah Okafor, to reduce the arrears, but Barco's goal killed hopes of another late twist.

Even then, it was not quite the last word as Welbeck directed a mishit from Barco with his head to beat Zetterer for a sixth time on the night. It really was an evening of glorious mayhem for the Blues.

Blues: (5-4-1) Penders - Gusto (Rogers h/t), Colwill (Fofana 76), Lacroix, Acheampong, Chavarria - Estevao (Pedro Neto h/t), Watson (James h/t), Barco, Gittens (Palmer h/t) - Welbeck

Leeds: (3-4-2-1) Zetterer - Justin, Bijol, Muharemovic - James (Stach 66), Ampadu, Longstaff (Tanaka 67), Bard (Gudmundsson 78) - Wilson, Aaronson (Okafor 67) - Nmecha (Calvert-Lewin 67)

Attendance: 35,696