'It is rigged!' - Morgan Rogers brands Cole Palmer's Player of the Match award 'criminal' after Chelsea's chaotic Carabao Cup win over Leeds

Chelsea appeared to be heading for a disastrous early exit from the Carabao Cup after falling 2-0 behind against Leeds at Stamford Bridge. In a desperate bid to save the tie, Xabi Alonso introduced four substitutes at the interval, with Palmer and Rogers stepping off the bench to orchestrate a stunning second-half revival

Palmer struck twice in three minutes, including a penalty, to restore parity. Meanwhile, Rogers proved unplayable as a creative force, laying on three assists for Palmer, Pedro Neto and Danny Welbeck.

Further strikes from Valentin Barco and Welbeck wrapped up a thrilling 6-3 victory, rendering Dominic Calvert-Lewin's effort for the visitors' third goal a mere consolation and ensuring the Blues marched on to the next round.

Despite his playmaking masterclass, Rogers was left in disbelief when his close friend Palmer took home the Player of the Match honours. The former Aston Villa star, mistakenly thought he had registered four assists, did not hold back during their joint post-match interview with Sky Sports.

"Mate, I got four assists," Rogers jokingly fumed. "I can't believe that, that is mental, he scored a pen. That is mental, don't mention me, I am just a bystander, that is criminal."

Palmer quickly defended himself, laughing: "I started the comeback, I will shout you out, I'll shout you out and say you should have had it." When asked if he would hand the trophy over to his team-mate, Rogers sarcastically replied: "I will unfortunately yes, it is rigged."

The banter swiftly spilled over onto social media. Palmer shared a photo on Instagram with the caption: "That was fun… p.s we can share MotM if it makes you happy @mrogers". Not backing down, Rogers responded on his own Instagram story, tagging the broadcaster and demanding: "@skysports serious words need to be had."

Beyond the touchline jokes, the victory underlined the growing chemistry within the Chelsea dressing room. Rogers, who arrived for a massive £117m fee in the summer, was quick to praise his new surroundings and the undeniable quality of his team-mates.

"The environment, the players, the coaching staff have allowed me in and let me show what I'm about," the attacker explained. "To play with this calibre of players makes my life a lot easier. I can show my ability to the best of what's possible, and it's a really enjoyable team to play in."

The playmaker also hinted at a bright future in west London. "You can see it [building something special]," he added. "There's a lot to work on and it's early days but seeing these signs so early, it doesn't normally happen quite this early. It's exciting but we've still got a long way to go and a lot to achieve."

Chelsea will look to carry this attacking momentum deeper into the Carabao Cup and across their ongoing domestic campaign. The Blues' devastating second-half display proved they possess the quality required to overhaul major deficits.

With Rogers and Palmer rekindling a formidable partnership from their Manchester City academy days, Chelsea now boasts a creative engine capable of unlocking stubborn defences. As Rogers noted, it remains early in the season, but their rapid development suggests the Blues are well-equipped to challenge for silverware in the months ahead.