It transpires there are worse sights for Thomas Tuchel on the touchline than Antonio Conte refusing to look him in the eye during a perfunctory handshake. Back in the dugout while he appeals against last week’s red card, the Chelsea manager saw his side overrun and overcome, their first defeat of the season inflicted by Leeds United’s frenetic football. Tuchel prizes control and the home side’s inspired brand of chaos brought them victory over historic rivals for the first time since 2002 and their biggest since 1995.
The manner of the defeat was as chastening as the score itself. Chelsea conceded from a set-piece for a second successive match. Edouard Mendy gifted Leeds their opener. Perhaps sieving three goals will strengthen Tuchel’s case that Chelsea need to bid still more for Wesley Fofana to bolster his defence. Instead, the centre-back he has bought, Kalidou Koulibaly, was sent off as he could not cope with the speed of Leeds; much like Tuchel, suspension beckons for him. As it is, his transfer outlay is approaching the £200m mark and it did Chelsea precious little good. Leeds assembled some high numbers of their own in the running statistics of Jesse Marsch’s workaholics.
This was a wonderful afternoon for the American. If staying up in dramatic fashion last season may remain the finest day of his reign, this was the best result and performance. Leeds were beaten 3-0 by Chelsea three months ago and there was a role reversal in the scoreline here.
Leeds had the wrong sort of 100 per cent record against the top six last season, losing all 12 games and conceding 47 goals. A transformation was also the endorsement of an ethos, of high-intensity running. Hassling and harrying brought the first goal. Marcelo Bielsa famously ignored set-pieces but Marsch has devoted more time to them and a free kick yielded their second. The supporters who idolised Bielsa ended up chorusing his replacement’s name.
Victory came courtesy of two goals in five first-half minutes and his flagship signing. Brenden Aaronson was an irrepressible irritant. He was both distance runner and sprinter. He had completed 5.9km by half-time and it felt like more. Aaronson claimed Leeds’s winner against Southampton before it was chalked up as an own goal. There was no doubt he scored their opener here and few goals will come from closer range.
If it was the product of Marsch’s beloved pressing, it was also embarrassing for Mendy. Even Kepa Arrizabalaga, with his litany of blunders, rarely conceded in such a calamitous fashion but when Thiago Silva passed the ball back to his goalkeeper, Mendy dallied, Aaronson pounced, robbing him and rolling the ball over the line. Marsch set off down the touchline in celebration which, as Tuchel had done likewise seven days earlier, was scarcely something the visiting coach could complain about.
Chelsea struggled to find legitimate ways to stop Aaronson. Koulibaly resorted to dragging him back, collecting his first caution. Jorginho hacked him down. The summer signing had eager accomplices in tormenting Chelsea. Jack Harrison and Rodrigo each scored a goal and made one.
When Raheem Sterling fouled Marc Roca, Harrison whipped in a free kick and Rodrigo rose highest to glance in a header. Reinvented as a goalscorer by Marsch and given the captain’s armband, he had twice come close earlier. If Patrick Bamford’s absences cost Leeds last season, they did not now. Signed when he was Spain’s centre-forward, Rodrigo looked that player again. He was terrific.
Scorer and supplier swapped roles for the third. Harrison had already become just the third Englishman to assist in each of the first three Premier League games of a season when Dan James crossed, Rodrigo stabbed the ball into his path and the winger applied the finishing touch. Rodrigo could have made it four as Leeds were increasingly rampant. Chelsea, meanwhile, felt shambolic in a game they had actually started well.
Raheem Sterling almost scored in 36 seconds, whipping a shot just wide, and found the net after a quarter of an hour, only to be ruled offside. But Mason Mount could only muster a tame shot with his best chance, which Illan Meslier clawed wide in slow motion. And, not for the first time, Kai Havertz was a disappointment. Behind him, Chelsea felt underpowered in the midfield and were attacked on the flanks.
Tuchel borrowed from Claudio Ranieri’s past and became Chelsea’s tinkerman. He changed shape at half-time, going to 4-2-3-1. Conor Gallagher, liberated by moving to the right, span and shot just wide. Reece James, moved from centre-back to full-back, drilled an effort that Meslier did well to tip past the post. But Harrison scored and Tuchel’s dissatisfaction was apparent as he changed again, to 4-1-3-2 and then back to a back three.
And whereas last week’s draw with Tottenham, besides his comedy rows with Conte, was notable for his tactical excellence, nothing he tried here worked. The substitute to exert an impact was one of Marsch’s men. Joe Gelhardt burst past Koulibaly, who tugged him back, received a second yellow card and took his leave. It was one way of avoiding the post-match handshakes but Tuchel swiftly disappeared down the tunnel while Marsch milked the applause.
