Chelsea missed the chance to move into the top four in the Premier League after throwing away a two-goal lead against Leeds United at Stamford Bridge.
The hosts had a two-goal cushion thanks to efforts either side of half-time from Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer.
But they conspired to throw it away, first by gifting Leeds a route back into the match when Moises Caicedo brought down Jayden Bogle to allow Lukas Nmecha to convert from the spot.
The equaliser came via calamitous defending, with Josh Acheampong, Malo Gusto and Robert Sanchez failing to clear a ball over the top, allowing Noah Okafor to poke home an equaliser.
Chelsea had won all four of their Premier League matches under new manager Liam Rosenior, but Manchester United’s draw against West Ham United in the later kick-off means the Blues remain in fifth.
Leeds leapfrog Tottenham into 15th place.
Chelsea analysis: Sloppy Blues pay the price
In recent weeks it’s been Chelsea’s first-half displays that have threatened to end their winning streak.
But Rosenior alluded to the difficulties his side have had in producing a complete 90-minute performance since he took over from Enzo Maresca during his pre-match interview.
And so it proved again.
With an hour gone, Chelsea looked home and dry. Joao Pedro opened the scoring when he dinked the on-rushing Karl Darlow with a lovely effort following Palmer’s through ball.
Palmer then got on the scoresheet, converting from the spot when Jaka Bijol inexplicably bundled over Joao Pedro in the box.
At this point, Leeds hadn’t registered a single shot on target.
But sloppiness crept in.
Caicedo, having one of his easier days in defensive midfield, upended Bogle and Leeds had their way back as Nmecha converted.
If that was a gift, then Leeds’ equaliser was charity.
Acheampong’s failure to deal with a simple ball over the top caused confusion and panic in the defence, with goalkeeper Sanchez and right-back Gusto desperately trying to clear their lines.
But Leeds’ industry was rewarded when the ball fell kindly for Okafor to tap into an empty net, leaving Rosenior furious.
“If we want to improve and get to where we want to be, we have to make sure we’re switched on for 90 minutes. It’s as simple as that,” Rosenior said afterwards.
“I’m devastated because some of the football we played was excellent. We should come away with three points and we haven’t because two of moments in the game we haven’t taken care of. We gifted Leeds a point.”
Chelsea were not without their chances in the closing stages, as Joao Pedro headed against the crossbar.
Their best chance fell to Palmer at the death. After a neat pass from Pedro Neto down the line, Caicedo squared a ball across the box for Palmer to tap into an empty net, only for the England forward to blaze over the bar.
Leeds analysis: Farke deserves credit for fightback
Only Daniel Farke and his players will know how they got back into that one.
They barely laid a glove on Chelsea before Nmecha’s spot-kick and it looked as though their dismal away form – one win on the road this season – would continue.
But their fightback from two goals down was exactly the type of gutsy, spirited display that has epitomised Farke’s men in recent weeks.
It didn’t come about because of great play or tactical innovation, but through sheer perseverance and refusing to believe that the game was done.
Farke has earned plenty of plaudits since moving to a back three in December, but this was a victory of a different kind.
“We’ve shown this throughout the season and we’ve proved we are a proper Premier League side and we want to earn the points to play in this league for longer,” Farke told TNT Sports.
“We want to be an established Premier League side in a few years and we are on a good path to achieving that this season.”
After West Ham’s draw with Manchester United, Leeds remain six points above the relegation zone.
That gap says more about the Hammers’ recent revival in form than it does any lingering fears that Farke’s side are still contenders for the drop.
They’ll feel that, with 12 matches to play, 10 more points to reach the coveted 40-point mark is more than achievable.
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