LONDON — Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior expressed his frustration over a controversial “handball” incident that he believes impacted his team’s performance during their match against Leeds United, resulting in a shocking loss after leading by two goals at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Initially, Chelsea looked strong with a first-half goal from João Pedro and a penalty by Cole Palmer in the second half, putting them firmly in control as the final thirty minutes approached.
However, the tide turned as Chelsea conceded two goals within just five minutes, starting with Lukas Nmecha‘s penalty, followed by substitute Noah Okafor‘s equaliser for the visitors.
Rosenior specifically criticized Okafor’s equalising goal, claiming it stemmed from an earlier “handball” by Jayden Bogle during the build-up, which he felt disrupted his players’ focus.
“The lad [Bogle] handballs it,” Rosenior stated in a post-match press conference. “He handballs it, and that affects my players. They think it’s a handball, we lose focus, we fail to clear the ball, and they score.”
“For the next 25 minutes, it was wave after wave of attack against us. We need to be able to manage these key moments and stay professional.”
“It’s disheartening that they managed to score two goals in such a brief period when we were undeniably the better team for most of the match.”
Chelsea’s dominance was highlighted by Leeds not having a shot on target until they earned the penalty in the second half, leaving many spectators in disbelief as their lead evaporated.
“Honestly, I can’t recall Leeds having any chances before Nmecha’s goal,” Rosenior continued. “Some of our play, in terms of possession, pressing, and energy, was what I wanted to see, which makes the loss even harder to accept.”
“I was particularly frustrated after their second goal and will show the players why the momentum shifted. This is a team issue.”
“If we can maintain our focus for the full 90 minutes, this team has incredible potential, as demonstrated for most of today’s game.”
“I’ve only been here a month, but I already see areas we need to focus on to improve. We just need to ensure we have time to work on it.”