‘It affects my players!’ – Liam Rosenior fumes over Leeds handball call as Chelsea held at home

Liam Rosenior has criticised the officiating that led to Leeds United’s equaliser at Stamford Bridge, insisting a blatant handball unsettled his Chelsea players and directly contributed to a chaotic collapse in Tuesday’s dramatic 2-2 draw.

The Chelsea head coach watched his side throw away a two-goal advantage in a frantic five-minute spell, missing a golden chance to move above Manchester United into the Premier League’s top four.

Disputed goal ignites anger at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea looked firmly on course for a crucial fifth straight league victory after first-half dominance was rewarded with goals from Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer.

In complete control for more than an hour, the Blues played with confidence and fluency, seemingly cruising at 2-0 with little resistance from the visitors.

But the mood inside Stamford Bridge shifted abruptly midway through the second half. A controversial equaliser from Leeds substitute Noah Okafor sparked fury among Chelsea players, staff, and supporters, with the hosts adamant that Jayden Bogle had clearly handled the ball during the build-up.

Appeals were waved away, and the absence of a whistle caused hesitation in Chelsea’s defence, allowing Leeds to pounce and snatch a point.

That moment of uncertainty proved decisive, derailing Chelsea’s momentum and leaving Rosenior visibly furious on the touchline as what had been a comfortable evening unraveled in minutes.

Rosenior: Officiating decision cost us

Rosenior did not hold back when addressing the incident after the match, arguing that the perceived injustice disrupted his players’ focus. While critical of the officials, he also acknowledged that Chelsea failed to respond professionally in a key moment.

“The lad handballs it. It affects my players in that moment,” Rosenior said. “They think it’s a handball, they switch off, we don’t clear the ball and they score.

“After that, it was wave after wave of attack for 25 minutes. We’ve got to manage those moments better and stay professional.”

Control undone by five minutes of chaos

The result was particularly painful given Chelsea’s dominance for much of the contest. Up until the 66th minute, Leeds had been largely anonymous as the Blues produced some of their best football of the season.

Joao Pedro opened the scoring with a delicate finish before Palmer calmly doubled the lead from the penalty spot.

Leeds’ route back into the game came through a lapse in judgment. A mistimed challenge from Moises Caicedo conceded a penalty, which Lukas Nmecha converted to give the visitors hope.

Moments later, the disputed equaliser followed, completing a stunning turnaround that saw Chelsea surrender control despite Leeds offering little threat for most of the match.

“The ridiculous thing is they score twice in five minutes,” Rosenior said. “For the other 90 minutes, we were by far the better team.

“Moises has been magnificent for me. But we make a poor decision, and even before that, our pressing isn’t right. We give away a penalty, and honestly, I can’t remember Leeds having a shot or a moment before then.”

Late miss compounds frustration

Chelsea’s misery deepened in stoppage time when Cole Palmer, usually so reliable, blazed over from close range after being picked out perfectly by Caicedo. The miss summed up a night that slipped away in the most frustrating fashion.

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow,” Rosenior admitted. “So much of our football — our pressing, our energy, how we played in possession — was exactly what I wanted. That’s why it hurts even more that we didn’t win.”

The draw leaves Chelsea fifth in the table, one point behind Manchester United. With the Red Devils also dropping points, Rosenior’s side knew victory would have taken them into the top four. Instead, five minutes of madness ensured a major opportunity was squandered.