Result: Chelsea 3-1 Leeds United
Date: 05 December 2020
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Chelsea moved to the top of the Premier League table with a 3-1 victory over Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night.
Olivier Giroud was handed a start after his four-goal haul in the UEFA Champions League midweek while Kai Havertz also returned to the line-up.
The visitors got off to the perfect start when former Blues striker Patrick Bamford latched on to Kalvin Phillips' pass before rounding Eduoard Mendy to slot into an empty.
Timo Werner should have restored parity in the 10th minute but the German forward somehow scuffed his strike from point-blank range with the net gaping.
However, the Blues got their equaliser on 27 minutes when Giroud pulled away from his marker to turn home Reece James' cross at the near post.
Frank Lampard was forced into a re-shuffle soon after as off-season signing Hakim Ziyech was forced off with an injury and replaced by Chritsian Pulisic.
After the first half ended all square, Leeds should have restored their lead in the 57th minute but Raphinha blazed over the crossbar from 10-yards out.
The visitors were made to rue that miss three minutes later when Kurt Zouma rose above his marker to head home Mason Mount's corner for his fourth league goal of the season.
Leeds upped the tempo in search of an equaliser late in the second half, but the Blues went on to bag a third goal late on as Pulisic slid home from close range to wrap up a big win.
