Chelsea surrendered a two-goal advantage and had Cole Palmer miss a stoppage-time sitter as Leeds United battled back to claim a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge,
with the hosts’ wasteful finishing and late defensive errors overshadowing Joao Pedro’s goalscoring form and an expected-goals total that strongly favoured Liam Rosenior’s team.
The match statistics underlined Chelsea’s frustration, as Palmer’s last-minute miss alone was worth 0.87 expected goals from Chelsea’s total of 3.65, while Leeds generated only 1.35 but still left with a point thanks to a spirited second-half response and sharper work in key penalty-box moments.
Rosenior will likely emphasise Palmer’s broader contribution, because Palmer’s converted spot-kick against Leeds extended an impressive Premier League record, with 18 penalties scored in the competition since Palmer’s Chelsea debut in September 2023, more than any other player in that period despite this game ending in disappointment.
Joao Pedro’s personal run also remained strong despite Chelsea’s collapse, as the Brazilian moved to six goals in the last eight matches across all competitions and reached 10 Premier League goals for the season, equalling the 2024-25 tally recorded for Brighton and reinforcing Pedro’s status as a reliable scorer for Chelsea.
Pedro joined select Premier League company with this latest strike, becoming only the fourth Brazilian to hit 10 or more goals in consecutive seasons after Roberto Firmino, who managed four such campaigns between 2015-16 and 2018-19, Richarlison in 2018-19 and 2019-20, and Matheus Cunha across 2023-24 and 2024-25, though that achievement offered limited comfort on this occasion.
Chelsea appeared on course for a routine home win in the first half despite Leeds missing Pascal Struijk and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as Palmer threaded a precise pass for Joao Pedro to finish calmly in the 24th minute, and both players then passed up further promising openings during a largely one-sided spell before the interval.
The hosts tightened their grip after the restart when Jaka Bijol shoved Pedro inside the area during the 58th minute, presenting Palmer with a clear chance from the spot that was duly converted, but that second goal unexpectedly energised Leeds, who responded with pressure from wider areas and more direct running at Chelsea’s back line.
That shift brought Leeds back into contention when Jayden Bogle drove into the box from the right and went down under an ill-timed tackle from Moises Caicedo, allowing Lukas Nmecha to send Robert Sanchez the wrong way from the resulting penalty by steering a low effort into the left-hand corner.
Six minutes later Bogle again broke through a hesitant Chelsea defence, with Sanchez unable to gather the loose ball and Nmecha’s touch diverting it into the path of substitute Noah Okafor, who rolled a simple finish into an unguarded net as Stamford Bridge absorbed the shock of a leveller that survived a VAR check for handball against Bogle.
Chelsea tried to regain control after that setback as Pedro Neto flashed a dangerous cross-shot just beyond the far post and Joao Pedro headed off target from another opportunity, yet the clearest late moment fell to Palmer in the fourth minute of added time when Caicedo’s low centre found Palmer free inside the six-yard box, only for the ball to be lifted over an open goal.
| Team | Goals | Expected Goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 2 | 3.65 |
| Leeds United | 2 | 1.35 |
Full-time at SB.#CFC | #CHELEE pic.twitter.com/YYXCWtz9qHChelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 10, 2026
The 2-2 result left Chelsea reflecting on dominance without victory, as the high xG total, Palmer’s penalty record and Pedro’s Brazilian milestones contrasted sharply with the dropped points against Leeds, highlighting how missed chances, defensive lapses and one late miss shaped a contest that statistically appeared within Chelsea’s control.
