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Can Rangers continue their Premiership winning run?

Well, the Gers did bring to an end their seven-match losing streak in Europe on Thursday, albeit a 1-1 draw with ten-man Braga at Ibrox did little to boost their hopes of reaching the Europa League knockout phase.

Back in the Premiership, Danny Röhl has won four out of four since arriving in Glasgow, albeit his team will kick off down in fifth place when Falkirk visit Ibrox on Sunday.

This is followed by clashes with Dundee United at Tannadice and then Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in the next week, presenting the Light Blues with a golden chance to climb up the standings, so which forgotten summer signing should Röhl unleash in these matches?

Can Rangers rely on Mohamed Diomandé?

Most would agree that, in a squad that otherwise lacks quality, the strongest part of this Rangers team is their midfield pairing of Nicolas Raskin alongside Mohamed Diomandé.

However, while the Belgian continues to impress, the same cannot be said of the Côte d’Ivoire international.

On Thursday, Diomandé was sent off in the dying embers of the underwhelming 1-1 draw with Braga, a pretty harsh dismissal in fairness, but this was his second red card of the Europa League already, having also been dismissed for a tackle on Zakaria El Ouahdi when Genk were 1-0 winners in Govan.

Thus, having now been sent off twice, the Ivorian will miss the next two Europa League fixtures against Ferencváros and then Ludogorets Razgrad.

That aside, he more broadly is not showing his best form this season, scoring his first goal of the campaign to snatch victory against Livingston last weekend.

Nevertheless, as a reflection of this, Diomandé has not been called up by les Éléphants manager Emerse Faé since June, putting his participation at both next month’s Africa Cup of Nations and the summer’s World Cup in doubt, unless his form improves.

Thus, searching for solutions as he attempts to configure a winning team, perhaps Röhl should leave Diomandé on the bench against Falkirk on Sunday, instead starting Rangers’ forgotten summer signing.

Rangers' forgotten new recruit deserves an opportunity

Given that Rangers brought in 13 new recruits during a busy and expensive summer, the first of those new recruits has been overlooked.

Back in January, 23 year old midfielder Lyall Cameron agreed to join Rangers on a pre-contract from Dundee, thereby arriving in the summer for mere compensation, having established himself as one of the Premiership’s most outstanding young players.

Of course, at the time he put pen to paper, Philippe Clement was still the manager, with a lot of change happening during the intervening six months, later admitting that the knowledge Russell Martin “didn’t sign” him was being used as extra motivation to prove his worth.

During his final season at Dundee, Cameron scored 14 goals across all competitions, an impressive return considering the Dark Blues finished tenth, narrowly avoiding relegation, certainly showcasing his talent.

Kai Watson was very much impressed, noting that “ball carrying, chance-creation, tenacity and vision” are his primary attributes, praising his “ability to be in the right place at the right time” in the penalty area, calling the signing a “no-brainer”.

Well, towards the start of the season, Cameron appeared set to be a key figure, starting three Champions League qualifiers and two of the first three Premiership matches, scoring his first goal for the club against Viktoria Plzeň on the road.

Overall, the Scotland under-21 international accumulated 409 minutes of action across July and August, but has seen a miserly ten minutes on the park subsequently, introduced as a late substitute by Röhl during home Premiership wins over Kilmarnock and Livingston.

Nevertheless, he surely deserves more of an opportunity, so let’s compare his statistics to those of Diomandé.

As the table documents, Cameron’s Premiership statistics last season are pretty much universally more impressive than those of Diomandé this time round, all on a per 90 basis, the Scotsman doing so for struggling Dundee, making it all the more impressive.

Cameron scored more goals and registered more assists, as well as coming out on top for a wide variety of underlying metrics, including shooting, chance creation, passing and ball recoveries.

Thus, considering Rangers’ lowly league position and, at best, mixed form, it is frankly baffling that Cameron has been given pretty much no playing time by Röhl, a fact that the German head coach should rectify against Falkirk on Sunday.

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Rohl must bin Chermiti for Rangers star who was the SPFL's "best player"

After another anonymous performance by Youssef Chermiti against Braga, Danny Röhl must start the “best player in the league” against Falkirk on Sunday

By
Ben Gray

Nov 29, 2025

Messi produced 12 goal involvements in the playoffs already, and Miami’s defensive improvement could be the difference-maker on the road to potentially winning MLS Cup.

Lionel Messi's third assist was the best. Or maybe it was the second. The first wasn't bad either. To be honest, just take your pick. All three were silly – effortless, inch-perfect, ridiculous things. 

And all three were perhaps more vital than they have ever been for the Argentine in an Inter Miami shirt. This is the time of year when there is true jeopardy in Major League Soccer. We are in the playoffs. This is win-or-go-home territory. And it's also the same type of forum where Miami have fallen time and time again. They lost in the CONCACAF Champions Cup earlier this year. They were battered in the Leagues Cup final in August. Just over 12 months ago, they were bounced from the playoffs by Atlanta United. 

But this is a different Miami. They’re defending with more resolve, playing with more structure, and managing games far better than they did earlier in the year. They’ve even had a bounce or two go their way.

Still, the biggest shift is obvious: Messi is dragging this team forward. He has had a hand in 22 of Miami’s last 24 goals – an absurd return – and there are stretches where he looks almost extraterrestrial, operating at a level the rest of the league simply can’t match. With two more wins standing between Miami and an elusive MLS Cup, it’s hard to see who stops them if he keeps playing like this.

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  Messi adds new dimension

  Messi has repeatedly been asked how he has been able to be so good, so injury-free, and so effective for so long. It's a fair question. He is 38, and still immensely effective. His response? Well, he has just learned how to walk. 

  It seems simple, really. And it's not particularly novel either. But Messi has become a master at conserving energy – when his team is both with and without the ball. He strolls into spaces nowadays, positioning himself before making tiny sprints to receive passes. He is still more than good enough to operate in the tiniest of pockets, so Messi exploits them without having to buzz around everywhere. It is the same when Miami don't have the ball. Usually, he doesn't press. His defensive action numbers are woeful. There is no point in asking him to mark, close down, or impact play. That is, after all, everyone else's job. 

  Until Sunday night. That's when things changed. Messi learned how to run. When Miami didn't have the ball, he buzzed and scampered. He clogged passing lanes and prevented Cincinnati from threading passes into the dangerous Evander. Ahead of the Herons' third goal, Messi dropped back into his own half, won the ball, and then played the killer ball – which Allende finished. 

  "We know what Leo is capable of – he proves it every weekend. Today, he did another incredible job off the ball, because we already know what he's capable of with it," manager Javier Mascherano said after the game.

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  Vintage Messi brilliance

  But of course, the classics stuck around. This is the bit, after all, that really matters. The numbers are ridiculous. Messi created eight chances, bagged three assists, and scored the opening goal. He has broken an MLS record by notching 12 goal contributions in a single playoff campaign (with potentially two games to go). In his last seven games, he has scored 11 and assisted 11. Piece it all together, and Messi is averaging a goal contribution every 28.6 minutes. These are simply absurd numbers. 

  There's also a deadly efficiency about him. Of course, Messi is the impact man in pretty much every Miami attack. But five players on the pitch had more touches. Both Sergio Busquets and Rodrigo De Paul were on the ball more. Three more players had more touches in the opposition box. Jordi Alba had more passes into the final third. Yet no other Miami player completed more dribbles. No other attacking player had a higher pass completion percentage. 

  But quantifying Messi in stats doesn't do him full justice. Instead, it is the that matter. He started the move that led to the first goal, picking the ball up near the halfway line, dumping it off, before accelerating into the box to notch just the 30th headed goal of his career. On the second assist, he swiveled, pivoted, and in one move dished to Mateo Silvetti, who finished wonderfully. His second assist came with the inside of his left foot. The third was thanks to the outside of his right. Both were inch-perfect into Allende. Both cut through the defense. Both set up chances that really could not be missed.

  And then there were the other bits: the drops of the shoulder, the exploitation of impossible angles. 

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  Defense finally steps up

  The thing is, this has all been true for some time now – in MLS and beyond. Messi was MVP last year. It would be an immense shock if he didn't claim the award this year, too. He came within one goal or assist of breaking the single-season goal involvement record (a mark currently held by LAFC legend Carlos Vela). He has always done these things, whether it be in a romp for PSG, a demolition of Puerto Rico in a meaningless friendly, or World Cup final.

  So, what has changed? Well, for Miami, at least, it's been a surprising efficiency at the other end. Miami have been subpar defensively for most of the season. The configurations aren't right. They lack legs in both midfield and central defense. Maxi Falcon is erratic. Noah Allen is 21 – and plays like it. Marcelo Weigandt and Ian Fray are inconsistent at right back. Busquets can't move anymore. In short, the Herons get exposed in transition almost every game.

  In the playoffs, though, they have been tougher to beat. Silvetti has added more legs. A bit more intensity from Messi has put more pressure on the ball. It also has to be admitted that the absence of Luis Suarez – suspended for the third game against Nashville and benched Sunday night – has given Miami one less passenger to account for. 

  They have certainly benefited from a few mistakes, too. Cincinnati had their chances early on, but failed to capitalize. Evander, consistently one of MLS's best, hasn't scored a career playoff goal – a baffling stat given his raw quality and regular season goalscoring exploits. He was quiet once again Sunday. Still, Miami have done something that vaguely mimics Argentina: but a strong defensive structure around Messi and allowed him to be his best. The result is a team tricky to beat. Miami have allowed just 1.01 xG against, and have conceded just once from open play in the playoffs. 

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  Who stops Miami now?

  There has, to be sure, been an imbalance in MLS this year. The Eastern Conference is, quite simply, far better than the West. The top three teams in the Eastern Conference all amassed more points than the first in the West. It is deeper, too, with strong teams like the Columbus Crew and Nashville SC occupying the sixth and seventh spots – as opposed to Austin and Dallas out West. Take nothing away from the excellence of Vancouver, San Diego, and LAFC, but Miami have had a harder go of things this season when factoring in all of the competitions the team was in.

  The pattern has held in the playoffs. Miami were narrow favorites over Cincinnati largely because they had Messi, but they hadn’t won at TQL Stadium in MLS play since 2021. Their 3-0 loss there in the regular season – a match in which a full-strength Miami were comfortably handled – was cited all week as the clearest sign they might struggle.

  But it didn’t matter. They went on the road to the conference’s best team, one that routed them four months ago, and won convincingly.

  So who stops them now? Philadelphia might have been the logical answer, but they were edged out by a resurgent NYCFC. Miami, in all likelihood, won’t lose to that group at home. And they’ll host whoever escapes the West in MLS Cup. San Diego and Vancouver are both capable — and Vancouver even beat Miami at Chase Stadium in April — but this version of the Herons feels far removed from the one that fell 3-1.

  Strip all of that away, though, and the Messi effect still looms largest: the goals, the assists, and the moments in between. It will take a team effort from here, but when that switch flips, Miami become almost impossible to beat.

Captain’s poor form with bat typified off-colour display and leaves questions to be answered before Lord’s

Matt Roller06-Jul-20251:46

Harmison: England’s top-order returns a worry

Ben Stokes was surrounded. Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal seemed convinced that he had edged Washington Sundar down the leg side in the over before lunch, and Indian fielders converged on England’s captain. Ravindra Jadeja pointed to Stokes’ thigh pad. Shubman Gill decided against using his final review. Stokes chewed his gum, hand on hip, and glared.One ball later, India’s fielders went up in appeal again. Stokes was dumbfounded when umpire Sharfuddoula raised his finger, and held out his left hand in bemusement before reviewing. But the decision was spot on: DRS confirmed that Washington’s in-drifter had hit his pad before his bat. He shook his head as he walked off, past a fan waving an India flag in Edgbaston’s South Stand.Stokes’ innings was a grimly compelling watch, a public disavowal of his previous stance that he was “not interested” in drawing Test matches as captain. With every high-elbow defence and exaggerated leave off the seamers, he made ever more clear the extent to which his team had been backed into a corner by India. After three years, the option of last resort had finally arrived.Related

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• Atkinson added to squad as England ponder changes for Lord's

• McCullum admits England got the toss wrong

• Akash Deep ten-for seals statement win for India

• Stats – India's first win at Edgbaston and it's by a record margin

The trouble for Stokes was that Gill knew he could attack him with spin. Stokes never settled in England’s run chase in Leeds, compulsively reverse-sweeping – he played the shot 16 times in 51 balls, the last of which brought about his dismissal. He has always been a stronger player against pace but his numbers against spinners have fallen off a cliff.Here, Stokes put his reverse-sweep away against Jadeja, but was never in control. He shifted his guard, batting across his stumps, and was caught between stools when confronted with a rough patch outside off. He lunged forward to sweep, missing as many as he hit, and gloved one ball just short of Gill at leg slip as he looked to defend.Just briefly, Stokes had started to look like his old self when back-cutting, driving and pulling Mohammed Siraj for boundaries, finally exerting his dominance on a bowler. But his dismissal to Washington felt almost inevitable: 16 of his 25 Test dismissals since the start of last year have been to spinners, and he is averaging 18.43 against spin in that time. It has been a barren run, and it was telling that Gill pushed his fielders back at the end of overs, allowing Stokes singles that would keep him on strike.

“The task today was batting out the 80 overs. The result we always try to push towards and look forward [to] was beyond [us]… It just wasn’t meant to be”

Stokes has had a bad week in Birmingham. He took five wickets in the first Test at Headingley but admitted that bowling 35 overs left him as “a shadow of my normal self”, and after 15 more on day one at Edgbaston, managed only 11 overs thereafter. Uncharacteristically, he seemed to run out of ideas in India’s second innings as the game drifted away from him slowly.His decision to bowl first at the toss backfired, with India enjoying the best batting conditions and grinding England into the ground. “As the game got deeper and deeper, it was pretty obvious that [the pitch] was not playing the way that we thought it was going to,” Stokes said. Brendon McCullum was clearer, saying: “We probably got it slightly wrong.”India’s relentlessness with the bat left England facing an unprecedented situation under Stokes’ captaincy, attempting to bat out the final day to secure a draw with a win off the table. “The task today was batting out the 80 overs,” he said. “The result we always try to push towards and look forward [to] was beyond [us]… It just wasn’t meant to be.”4:11

Stokes: We weren’t able to deliver our skills when needed

His team now faces a quick turnaround to Thursday’s third Test at Lord’s. Stokes does not expect the 336-run margin of defeat to affect their performance next week, but he needs to step up with the bat. Gill, his opposite number, does not look a natural leader in the field, but his runs have bought him scope to make mistakes that Stokes is not giving himself.The opening day of this match marked the two-year anniversary of Stokes’ most recent Test hundred, a rage-fuelled 155 in defeat to Australia at Lord’s, and he has not scored a century in any format of the game since the 2023 World Cup. He declined the opportunity to play for Durham or England Lions ahead of this series to manage his body, but his batting has suffered.Since the start of last year, Stokes has faced only 1280 balls in professional cricket, limited heavily by knee and hamstring injuries; the next fewest among England’s top seven is Zak Crawley with 2414, while Joe Root has faced 4523. If batting is a skill that relies on rhythm and tempo, then Stokes has been dancing to a very different tune.Stokes shrugged off a post-match question about his own form with the bat but his five Test scores this year read 9, 20, 33, 0 and 33, and his career batting average has dipped to its lowest mark (35.31) since the 2019 Ashes. He has been an inspirational and tactically astute captain, but Stokes’ leadership alone cannot mask his struggles with the bat.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was joined by Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Will Smith and Kiké Hernandez as guests on Tuesday night's where they were described as "still moist" from their World Series celebration. The quintet of champions answered some questions while remembering just how awesome that all was for Los Angeles fans—your typical late-night fare.

The highlight was Hernandez revealing that he was under the impression his team had lost the World Series after getting trucked by Andy Pages to end the ninth inning of Game 7.

Hernandez shared the story of how he processed the season-saving play after getting teed up by Roberts.

"Bases loaded ninth inning, ball drops we lose, right" he said. "I get a bad jump because the pitch almost bounced, he kind of put the bat on the ball. I broke half a step in and I'm running. And I'm thinking about my entire life as I'm following this ball and I felt like I ran a 400-meter dash and like as I'm finally about to catch the ball I'm like 'the only thing I've got to worry about is the wall, right?'"

Hernandez assured everyone he was in position to catch the ball before he was blindsided from Pages, who had just entered the game as a defensive replacement.

"Out of nowhere I feel like an NBA player because my teammate posterized me," he said. "I go down and in my head everything is quiet, which should have told me he caught it."

Hernandez said he didn't trust his instincts because he thought his brain was protecting him from heartbreak. And that he only found out the Dodgers had fresh life in extra innings after Pages came over to check on him.

It's an awesome story and an extra bit of lore for an already unbelievable World Series.

Pakistan’s spinners had Australia struggling at 76 for 7. Enter Mooney

Madushka Balasuriya08-Oct-2025

Playing the ball late was a hallmark of Mooney’s rescue act•AFP/Getty Images

“It’s never going to be everyone’s day on the same day. Quite possibly it might just be one person’s day.”At 76 for 7 in the 22nd over against Pakistan those pre-match words might have been quite far from Ellyse Perry’s mind, but in the end they proved as self-fulfilling as they were prescient, as Australia clawed themselves back into the game to post an eventually match-winning total of 221 for 9.At the forefront of this latest Australian fightback was none other than Beth Mooney, their ever-reliable firefighter. Mooney more than most is accustomed to bailing her sides out of holes; she’s battled through oppressing heat to steer her Brisbane Heat to a BBL title; she’s recovered from a broken jaw to help Australia win the Ashes; and on numerous occasions she’s mitigated collapses to recalibrate an innings.Related

• Pakistan's problems mount after letting golden chance slip

• Mooney's rescue act for the ages denies Pakistan a historic win

But on a sticky Khettarama surface, one which Australia were batting on for the first time this tournament, Pakistan’s spinners were in total control of proceedings. Enter Mooney, who once again showcased her ability to navigate the most high-pressure situations as if she has ice in her veins. It was this calm that allowed her to adjust her game and keep her head clear when all those around her were losing their wickets.Pakistan to their credit bowled well, and fielded even better. Nashra Sandhu in particular was at her devastating best, perhaps channeling the echoes of Rangana Herath from within the walls of the R. Premadasa, as she spun and slid deliveries past her foes.Australia’s batters, however, weren’t exactly battening down the hatches.”I think we all go out with the same approach, and that’s to be really positive, but also really adaptable and smart to whatever the game’s presenting, whether that’s conditions or the opposition,” Perry had opined pre-game.Here they had the first part down, but that adaptability was sorely letting them down. Healy chipped one to midwicket; Litchfield skied a leading edge; Perry was deceived by some dip and turn charging down the track; Gardner, another chip to midwicket; McGrath sliced one to cover; Wareham popped one back to the bowler.3:25

Review: Mooney masterclass, seamers down Pakistan

The one thing all of these wickets had in common was a desire to be on the attack, take on the bowling on the front foot. But on a surface where the ball was holding up, that proved to be a sure fire recipe for calamity…until Mooney.Mooney’s was not a counter-attacking charge, like that of Gardner’s against New Zealand a week prior. In fact, if there was a bell curve for Mooney’s impact, it would be inversely proportional to its remarkableness.”Certainly there were moments when I thought I could take the ball on, reverse sweep, ramp, get down the ground, that sort of thing,” revealed Mooney after the game. “They’d pop into my mind, albeit very briefly, and I’d have to park it pretty quickly and play the scenario in front of me basically.”Where others sought to take charge, Mooney allowed proceedings to wash over her. The innings was quintessentially low risk, high percentage. She struck 11 boundaries during her 114-ball 109, but six of those came in the final 10 overs, four of which in the final five.4:40

Mooney: ‘Not much of a gulf between top teams and others’

The rest of those boundaries were less release strokes, more gifts to be gratefully accepted. A tickle down fine leg here, a long hop slapped away there. And on the odd occasion, maybe a glimpse of the flair stirring within, as she drove one through a tightly packed offside field. But never would she get carried away; she didn’t hit back-to-back boundaries until the 47th over.In the process Mooney did what many of those around had failed to do – played the ball late. Australia are not a team that relies on the sweep too heavily – though Litchfield does play a mean reverse – instead opting to use their feet liberally. Mooney however prefers using the depth of the crease, and in Colombo that has long been the among the most effective ways to combat conditions.”So my method in the nets was to really commit if I was going to come out and try and hit down the ground as hard as I could, or to sit deep and still hit it as hard as I could. Thankfully that method works tonight. I might have to adjust and adapt that as we go and play for others on the continent.”It just seemed like the ball, when it was a little bit full, wasn’t coming on as nice when the batters were playing out in front of them. So that method doesn’t always work, and perhaps you’ve got to be a little bit agile with that mindset. But I think just being really clinical with the footwork and really clear and concise with that method works.”Alana King and Beth Mooney added 106 off 97 balls for the ninth wicket•ICC/Getty ImagesIn an innings that Mooney herself touted as one of her best, if there was anything she might have done differently it might have been the stage at which they accelerated towards the death. Her conflict was such that she was seen heading off the field during a DRS review to have a chat with those in the dugout.”[The chat in the dugout was about] trying to find out at what point I could start being a little bit more expansive. I think at that point there was maybe 15 overs left. So just the number of overs that I could start playing a few more shots.”I think there’s always going to be games in those scenarios where you sort of think, ‘we scored pretty freely towards the very end’, and I did wonder if we could have done that a little bit earlier.”In the end though Alana King’s momentum-clinching cameo at the death helped Australia crunch 34 runs in the final two overs to boost them to 221. It also meant that it wasn’t solely Mooney’s day with the bat, but just yet more evidence that when it comes to Australia, more often than not, it will be someone’s.

Chelsea endured a horrible evening at Elland Road, as they fell 3-1 to Leeds United. The Blues were played off the park in the first half as Jakob Bijol's header and Ao Tanaka's long range effort gave the hosts a deserved lead at the break. While Pedro Neto pegged one back for the visitors, their misery was compounded by a calamitous Tosin Adaraboiyo mistake in the build-up to Dominic Calvert-Lewin's tap in.

The Blues were under the pump from the opening whistle at Elland Road, as Leeds threw bodies forwards on a series of set pieces. Daniel Farke's side fashioned five attempts at the Chelsea goal in the opening five minutes, and that pressure told as Bijol thundered home Anton Stach's in-swinging corner to give the Whites a well deserved early lead. 

Chelsea started to dominate possession with little tangible threat going forward, as they were unable to break down Leeds' resolute back five. Far too often the back three of Tosin, Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile were left to aimlessly shift the ball between them, as Chelsea's midfielders either appeared unwilling or unable to get hold of the ball. 

Just as it appeared the game would meander towards the break, a sideways pass deep in his own half by Tosin left Enzo Fernandez under pressure. The Argentinian was promptly dispossesed, allowing Jayden Bogle to slide the ball into Tanaka, and the Japan midfielder unleashed a thunderbolt into the top corner of Robert Sanchez's goal from all of 25 yards.

Enzo Maresca was proactive at the half, bringing on Malo Gusto and Neto in a new-look right flank for the Blues. It proved effective, as the Portuguese powered home a Jamie Gittens cross in the 49th minute. 

Again, as it seemed Chelsea had weathered Leeds' relentless efforts, they brought more misery upon themselves. Tosin dithered on the ball in his own box, allowing Noah Okafor to charge him down, and as the ball skewed across the six-yard box, the Leeds striker slid in to challenge the sprawling Sanchez. However, he could do nothing to stop Calvert-Lewin tapping home from two yards out. 

Given the dedicated and hardy performance Chelsea offered in their top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal on Sunday, the lack of physicality and nous in this torrid display will come as a galling reminder that Maresca's side are far too flaky in defence to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title. They now sit nine points back of the Gunners in fourth. 

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Elland Road…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Robert Sanchez (5/10):

  Little he could do about either goal in the first half. Made one sharp stop from a Calvert-Lewin volley in the opening moments of the second half, was left stranded for by Tosin's mistake for the third goal, but he could have been stronger in the challenge with Nmecha. 

  Trevoh Chalobah (4/10):

  Heroic block to deny Stach in the opening moments. The cross for Bijol's opener was in his area, but the opposing centre-back had a running start on him. 

  Tosin Adarabioyo (2/10):

  Spent most of the first half shuttling the ball between his fellow defenders. Put Fernandez under pressure with an unwanted square pass back into danger ahead of Tanaka's goal, then got robbed by Nmecha for the third. A night to forget. 

  Benoit Badiashile (4/10):

  Unsure on the ball. Given a tough test by Calvert-Lewin's runs down the channels in the opening quarter. Pulled at half-time. 

  Marc Cucurella (4/10):

  Given the license to roam freely in possession, even popping up in an inside right position on a couple of occasions. Was more effective in the second half as he stuck to the left side of the pitch. 

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  Midfield

  Andrey Santos (5/10):

  Looked unsure if he should drop back into his back three to pick up the ball, or offer an option in midfield. Still, he was more willing than most to try and progress the ball. 

  Enzo Fernandez (3/10):

  Caught in possession in the buildup to Tanaka's goal. His normally dependable touch let him down repeatedly in tight areas, affecting his desire to go and take control of the game. Looked rattled at times. 

  Joao Pedro (4/10):

  Largely anonymous in the first half, and sloppy on the ball when he did find pockets of space. Put Delap through on goal late in the opening period.

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  Attack

  Estevao (3/10):

  Tried to be direct but did not find much joy. Ended a frustrating first half by blatantly chopping down Gudmundsson. Given the hook at the break. 

  Liam Delap (4/10):

  Did not appear to have much understanding with Pedro, until the Brazilian picked out his run on the 30-minute mark. A bystander for most of the first 45 minutes. Blazed a snapshot over the bar before departing on the hour. 

  Jamie Gittens (5/10):

  Very wasteful in the first half, losing the ball while dribbling or delivering aimless crosses. Was far more direct to set up Neto's goal, taking on his man and delivering a tantalising cross across the six-yard box. 

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  Subs & Manager

  Malo Gusto (5/10):

  Brought on to provide an outlet but almost allowed a Nmecha goal straight after the break as he failed to track the forward's run. Some hairy moments on the ball, but the change in shape he brought was undoubtedly a positive for the Blues. 

  Pedro Neto (7/10):

  Instant impact as the Portuguese crashed home with more or less his first touch. 

  Cole Palmer (5/10):

  Could not wrap his foot around the ball to nab the equaliser just moments before Leeds third. Hardly the return he would have hoped for after a couple of months on the shelf. 

  Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

  Set Palmer up on a plate after skinning his man. 

  Marc Guiu (5/10):

  Brought on for more attacking ballast in the final 15 minutes. One header skewed well over the bar. Little else to report. 

  Enzo Maresca (4/10):

  This was a performance reminiscent of Chelsea in the middle of last season; laboured in possession and lacking in industry. After such a titanic effort with 10 men against Arsenal, this was a bitterly disappointing showing from a side that looked unsure of how their manager wanted them to play.