Leeds United were defeated 3-2 in their FA Cup fifth round clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, with England player Conor Gallagher scoring a last-gasp winner.
Leeds United suffered a humiliating FA Cup defeat against Premier League opponents on Wednesday night.
Daniel Farke’s squad faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and matched them for the full 90 minutes. However, with the fifth-round encounter obviously going for extra time, Conor Gallagher scored a last-gasp winner to secure victory over the Championship promotion aspirations.
Chelsea had Nicolas Jackson and Mykhailo Mudryk on target, but Leeds’ Mateo Joseph scored twice in a thrilling match. And here, we’ve looked at how the national media and Leeds Live covered the game at Stamford Bridge.
The Telegraph’s Jason Burt wrote: “There has been so much talk about Conor Gallagher’s value, and whether he will be the one sacrificed at the altar of financial restrictions, but the midfielder proved to be priceless as he secured Chelsea a spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
“Arriving as a second-half substitute, just as Chelsea were being overwhelmed by Leeds, just as the pressure was building on Mauricio Pochettino, just as Gary Neville’s remark about being the “blue billion-pound bottle jobs” was already haunting them, Gallagher provided the lifeline and, dare it be said, had the air of a prime Frank Lampard.
“It was certainly a winning goal that was Lampard-esque – with a predatory finish – as Gallagher collected Enzo Fernandez’s pass, deftly made space, and slammed the ball into the net just as it appeared Chelsea were going to extra time for the second time in four days after losing the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool.
“Instead, they fought again. They didn’t bottle this one. They still have a trophy to contend for, with a home tie against another Championship high-flyer, Leicester City, and their season is still alive. The FA Cup is their greatest chance of obtaining European football, which looks to be a must for Pochettino to keep his job, even though he denies being told that is the case.
“The result was harsh on Leeds, with 20-year-old Mateo Joseph leading the line who had never scored a senior goal previously. He scored twice and should have had a hat-trick, but despite the relieved celebrations, Chelsea faced a scattering of boos as Raheem Sterling was replaced after an uninspiring performance.
“Could have been dumped out.”
The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg wrote: “There was no issue with Chelsea’s character here. Three days after going to extra time against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, they found an extra burst of energy after being outplayed for long stretches by Leeds.
“Enzo Fernandez, a World Cup winner who needs to accept more responsibility more often, was justified in accepting the praise after his beautiful assist for Conor Gallagher’s late winner ensured Chelsea did not pay the price for their scratchy performance in this entertaining FA Cup tie.”
“Yet, while Mauricio Pochettino celebrated his chaotic young side’s progress to face Leicester City at home in the last eight, he will be aware that this victory was far from convincing. Chelsea, who will need to do much more to shed their “blue billion-pound bottle jobs” label, could easily have been discarded.”
“Leeds United were the better team for a long time.”
The Daily Mail’s Oliver Holt wrote: “Leeds United were the better team for long periods, and, after Sunday’s humiliating Carabao Cup final defeat by a Liverpool side stocked with youngsters, everyone knew that Chelsea’s defeat in front of their own fans would have put coach Mauricio Pochettino in a perilous position.
“This time, Chelsea rallied. This time, Conor Gallagher, who has regularly been one of their finest performers this season, helped his team cross the finish line. Gallagher struck the post and squandered chance after chance at Wembley, but when the ball was delivered to him just a minute before the finish, with the scores tied at 2-2, he took advantage beautifully to seal a 3-2 victory.
“Leeds did absolutely no harm to their reputation. If they continue to play this confidently and with such assurance, they should make a quick return to the Premier League at the conclusion of the season. They are second only to Leicester in the Championship, who Chelsea will meet in the FA Cup quarter-finals.”
‘The Next Great Challenge’
Beren Cross of Leeds Live wrote: “A formidable unbeaten run, such as Leeds United’s in 2024 before meeting Chelsea, had to come to an end at some point. The next big issue for the manager who created that streak is dealing with the aftermath and preventing the balloon from popping completely.
“Since the beginning of the year, the Whites have huffed and puffed their way to victory. There have been draws and extra-time victories in the FA Cup, but the machine has moved on for 12 games before colliding with one of the most expensively assembled sides in history.
“Although Chelsea has been disappointing in the Premier League this season, they have an enormous amount of individual talent and can win any game on any given day. When that skill encounters a Championship team, the gap simply widens. Confidence may bridge that gap, especially when the favourites haven’t really gotten going this season or had much respite after a humiliating extra-time cup defeat three days ago.
“A quick glance at the fixture calendar suggested that a trip to the Premier League side would be the end of the unbeaten streak for this 2024 season, but it was far more than anyone expected. There is every reason to expect that momentum should not be lost in the capital.”
