Just when Chelsea appeared to be building some serious momentum, this has very much been halted. On Tuesday night, despite leading 2-0 thanks to goals from João Pedro and then Cole Palmer, the Blues were pegged back, conceding twice in five minutes, thereby only able to draw with Leeds United at Elland Road.
Moisés Caicedo's foul gave the Yorkshire-based side the opportunity to get back into the game from 12 yards, before some kamikaze defending that needs to be seen to be believed sparked wild scenes of celebration in the away section of the Shed End.
At 2-0, with three other Premier League games on the tele, neutrals would have been forgiven for turning their attention to other parts of London, namely White Hart Lane or Stratford. However, this collapse against Leeds was more a continuation of a theme rather than a shock outlier.
Chelsea continuing to throw points away
Currently fifth in the table, 12 points adrift league-leaders Arsenal, Chelsea fans may feel frustrated that their side are merely in a top five battle, rather than the title race. Well, the amount of points the Blues have relinquished from winning positions certainly supports this zeitgeist.
Premier League 25/26: most points dropped from winning positions
Teams | Points dropped after leading |
|---|---|
West Ham | 20 |
Newcastle United | 19 |
Bournemouth | 18 |
Chelsea | 17 |
Leeds United | 15 |
Manchester United | 14 |
Brentford | 13 |
Crystal Palace | 13 |
Brighton & Hove Albion | 12 |
Tottenham Hotspur | 12 |
Note: All information is correct at the time of publication and is courtesy of Football365.
In the Premier League this season, only West Ham, Newcastle and Bournemouth have relinquished more points from winning positions that Chelsea's tally of 17. Tuesday was the seventh match in which the Blues have gone in front but not been victorious, previously beaten by Brighton, Sunderland and Aston Villa, all at Stamford Bridge, despite going 1-0 up each time.
Chelsea points dropped from winning positions by season
Season | Chelsea dropped points when leading |
|---|---|
2021/22 | 20 |
2022/23 | 18 |
2019/20 | 18 |
2025/26 | 17 |
Since records began, only on three occasions have Chelsea dropped more points from winning positions. With 12 matches to go, they're very much on course to break this record. The Blues have already eclipsed last season's tally of 15, while the record is 20, set in 2021/22, when they actually managed to finish third under Thomas Tuchel.
If Liam Rosenior is going to guide the Blues to a top five finish, this is an issue he is desperate to address, after his predecessor Maresca seemingly failed to do so. The Blues next two opponents at Hull in the FA Cup and then Burnley, but this is followed by a crucial month. During March, they'll travel to league-leaders Arsenal and then visit Villa Park, before a Champions League round of 16 tie, with Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle their likely opponents.
Rosenior clearly has a talented group of players capable of beating anyone. Nevertheless, while Chelsea continue to drop points from winning positions on a regular basis, whoever they face will feel they have a chance against the Blues.