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leeds Delivered their best performance of the season in an impressive 3–1 home win chelsea to get out of Premier LeagueThe bottom three.
Jaka Bijol gave Leeds an early lead with his first goal for the club and Ao Tanaka fired a brilliant strike into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season two minutes before half time.
Chelsea pulled one back shortly after the restart through substitutes pedro neto But Dominic Calvert-Lewin Leeds’ two-goal lead was restored as the Yorkshire side snapped a four-match losing streak, relieving some 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 fell behind leaders Arsenal and Manchester City.
A fierce rivalry that lasted until the late 1960s resumed amid a heated atmosphere at the kick-off at Elland Road and Leeds beat the Londoners before taking the lead in the sixth minute.
Anton Stach’s corner at the near post caught out the charging Bijol and although Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez got a hand to the big Slovenia defender’s thunderous 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 gained a foothold in the game.
But the visitors had to wait 39 minutes before getting their first chance through Liam Delap, which was easily cleared by Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perry.
Leeds had lost two of their previous three games after scoring the first goal, but doubled their lead two minutes before half-time.
Striker Lucas Nmecha won possession back for the home side in Chelsea’s half and the ball fell to Tanaka, who could no longer hold on to his 25-yard strike as it headed into the bottom corner.
Chelsea pulled themselves back five minutes into the second half when Jamie Gittens outwitted Jayden Bogle on the left and crossed to the far post for the unmarked Neto to complete his fifth league goal of the season.
Leeds’ response was immediate but Nmecha’s thunderous 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 20 September after recovering from groin and toe injuries, missed a golden chance from Garnacho’s cut-back.
Leeds regained their two-goal lead in the 72nd minute. Tosin Adarabioyo’s back-pass to Sanchez was short and when Leeds substitute Noah Okafor challenged for the ball, it was clear for Calvert-Lewin to put the ball into the goal.
Chelsea, who have won only six of their 49 league visits to Elland Road so far, had plenty of possession in the closing stages.
But Gabriel Gudmundsson and Okafor wasted further chances for Leeds, who grabbed a vital three points and their first since the end of October.