Graham Smyth's Leeds United player ratings v Chelsea as star scores 9/10, three 8s but two 5s

Leeds United’s FA Cup run was finally ended by a 3-2 defeat at Wednesday night’s fifth round hosts Chelsea – but how did we rate the performances?

By Graham Smyth

Published 28th Feb 2024, 21:51 GMT

Updated 28th Feb 2024, 21:59 GMT

Boss Daniel Farke made five changes to his side, several of which were forced as the German revealed pre-match that both Ilia Gruev and Georginio Rutter were forced to miss out after suffering problems in training. Jamie Shackleton had been set to start over Junior Firpo but missed out after feeling unwell whilst Patrick Bamford and Crysencio Summerville could only make the bench having not trained on Monday.

Young forward Mateo Joseph was given a start upfront and the 20-year old striker fired Leeds ahead in the seventh minute with his first goal for the club and indeed first in senior football. Chelsea quickly hit back and led 2-1 at the break through strikes from Nicolas Jackson and Mykhailo Mudryk but Joseph drew Leeds back level with a lovely headed finish from a superb Jaidon Anthony cross in the 59th minute.

The game looked destined for extra-time but Chelsea served up one final twist by bagging a 90th-minute winner through Conor Gallagher who turned the Whites back line before firing home a rising finish past Illan Meslier to send the Blues through.

Graham Smyth, the YEP’s chief football writer, hands out the scores from a pulsating last 16 clash at Stamford Bridge.

6 - Came off his line to grab the ball and sort a couple of situations, might think he could have dealt better with the first goal. Some wayward kicking.

1. Illan Meslier

6 - Came off his line to grab the ball and sort a couple of situations, might think he could have dealt better with the first goal. Some wayward kicking. Photo: Julian Finney

6 - Struggled against sheer pace but dug in defensively. Put a lot into it going forward and linked up well in the second half.

2. Connor Roberts

6 - Struggled against sheer pace but dug in defensively. Put a lot into it going forward and linked up well in the second half. Photo: GLYN KIRK

8 - Got a foot in, made recovery runs, tackled, headed and passed the ball well out from the back at times.

3. Joe Rodon

8 - Got a foot in, made recovery runs, tackled, headed and passed the ball well out from the back at times. Photo: Julian Finney

7 - Two of the goals came down his and Firpo's side but he dealt with a lot of situations well.

4. Liam Cooper

7 - Two of the goals came down his and Firpo's side but he dealt with a lot of situations well. Photo: GLYN KIRK

5 - Better going forward than he was in his own half. A few too many errant touches or passes. Chelsea passed it around him too easily for the first.

5. Junior Firpo

5 - Better going forward than he was in his own half. A few too many errant touches or passes. Chelsea passed it around him too easily for the first. Photo: GLYN KIRK

9 - Bossed the midfield for periods of the game, brought an incredible level of physicality and passed the ball really well. Some great long-range stuff.

6. Ethan Ampadu

9 - Bossed the midfield for periods of the game, brought an incredible level of physicality and passed the ball really well. Some great long-range stuff. Photo: Julian Finney

Graham Smyth Chelsea Daniel Farke Jamie Shackleton Crysencio Summerville Patrick Bamford