Leeds down to 10 again as relegation fears rise after comfortable win for Chelsea

Leeds United suffered a major blow to their hopes of escaping the relegation zone as a 3-0 win for Chelsea kept the Whites in the bottom three.

It was far from an ideal start for Leeds after Chelsea took the lead within four minutes. Reece James chopped in past Pascal Struijk before teeing up Mason Mount, who finished with power and accuracy into the top corner after arriving in the box.

Chelsea could have gone two up before 10 minutes were on the clock. Mount was set up again but his first-time effort was stopped just ahead of the line.

Leeds began getting nearer the territory they would have preferred as a corner eventually led to half a chance for Diego Llorente, but his shot was wide.

However, things got worse for them when the referee brandished a red card to Daniel James for a foul on Mateo Kovacic. He initially played the ball, but followed through off the ground with his studs showing.

Thus, for the second game in a row, Leeds had to navigate more than an hour with 10 men. Kovacic, meanwhile, had to be substituted off, replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Chelsea had the ball in the net again soon after when Romelu Lukaku dinked it over Illan Meslier. However, the flag was up.

Lukaku had another chance moments later, but his header fell wide.

Leeds were also forced into a first-half change of their own, when Junior Firpo had to come on for Jack Harrison.

Next, Meslier made a good save to deny Christian Pulisic from close range, but once again it wouldn’t have counted because of offside anyway.

There was nothing Meslier could do to stop Chelsea doubling their lead inside the first 10 minutes of the second half. Mount laid it off for Pulisic, who picked out the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Pulisic then tried