Paul Merson witnesses ‘the worst thing I’ve ever seen’ in Chelsea vs Leeds United
Leeds came back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
Daniel Farke’s side went into the clash against Chelsea sitting 16th in the Premier League, after Leeds beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 at Elland Road last week.
A first-half goal from Joao Pedro set the tone for the hosts, before Cole Palmer doubled the lead from the spot in the second half.
However, second-half goals from Lukas Nmecha and Noah Okafor would spark fantastic scenes in the end, containing the travelling Leeds contingent, as Leeds picked up a point against Chelsea to take back to Elland Road.
Giving his thoughts in the first half, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson saw one moment at Stamford Bridge that he couldn’t believe, as Chelsea looked to take the lead on home soil.
Paul Merson in disbelief after first-half moment in Chelsea vs Leeds clash
With Chelsea looking to get revenge on the Whites after suffering a 3-1 defeat at Elland Road in December, they naturally took ascendancy in the early stages on home soil.
Though, before the opening strike from Pedro, Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer had a moment that they will hope to forget soon – adequately described by Merson.
“It’s a free-kick on the left-hand side. It’s Fernandez, he plays it to Palmer, Palmer plays it back. That’s the worst I’ve ever seen. Ever, ever, ever.
“By the time the ball is back to [Fernandez] there’s 16 players around him. Unbelievable.”
Palmer in particular was influential in Chelsea’s win against Wolves at the weekend – scoring a hat-trick at Molineux, and he would get on the scoresheet from the spot once again – converting following a foul on Pedro early in the second half.
Big second half earns massive point for Leeds
Leeds’ impressive home record has been the driving force behind their quest for Premier League survival thus far, with Elland Road often playing the role of 12th man.
The Whites have secured some big points at home, including from the 3-1 win against Chelsea in the reverse fixture.
Though, they won’t pick up many results as important as Tuesday’s at Stamford Bridge.
In the race for survival, the question has always been whether Leeds can begin to pick up results away from home, and they answered that perfectly in West London.
Coming from two goals behind, Farke’s side showed immense character and quality, even without top-scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
With four points from six, Leeds now have a break from league football, with a trip to Birmingham City in the FA Cup, before they face Aston Villa at Villa Park.