Blues get back on track

CHELSEA got their Champions League bid back in the groove and left 10-man Leeds deeper in the relegation mire with a comfortable 3-0 win at Elland Road.

Mason Mount’s early strike and second-half goals from Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku halted Chelsea’s three-game winless run and lifted them four points clear of London rivals Arsenal in third place.

It was a timely win for Thomas Tuchel’s side, who had dropped 10 points in their previous five matches, before Saturday’s FA Cup final against Liverpool.

For Leeds, it was another night to forget. They slumped to a third straight defeat to remain in the bottom three and had a man sent off for the second time in successive matches.

Mount followed up his pass out to the right flank in the fourth minute and when Reece James played the ball back inside, the England midfielder slammed home the opening goal.

Chelsea were a whisker away from adding a second when Mount’s cross eluded Lukaku, but Leeds lifted their fans with forays forward before Diego Llorente fired wide.

Any optimism was short-lived, as they were reduced to 10 men in the 24th minute when Dan James was shown a red card for his challenge on Mateo Kovacic.

Pulisic fired a low finish inside Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier’s post following Mount’s flick to all but end the contest.

Lukaku was agonisingly close to making it 3-0 in the 66th minute, but the third goal duly came when Leeds were punished after giving away possession again in their own half.

The Chelsea striker pounced on substitute Hakim Ziyech’s pass into the area and slammed home his eighth league goal of the season.

Romelu Lukaku