Thomas Tuchel criticised Édouard Mendy's error and his side's defensive lapses after Chelsea slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Elland Road, Leeds' first win over the Blues in 20 years.
The match turned in the first half when Mendy attempted to dribble past Brenden Aaronson instead of clearing a backpass, allowing the Leeds forward to steal the ball and score. Minutes later, Rodrigo doubled the lead from a free-kick after out-jumping Reece James, and Jack Harrison sealed the win in the second half. Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off late on.
Tuchel described Mendy's error as 'a huge mistake in a crucial time of the match', but denied that Leeds' pressing was decisive. 'We scored an own goal and gave an awfully cheap set-piece,' he said. 'It is nothing to do with pressing.'
The German acknowledged the need for defensive reinforcements, with the club linked to Leicester's Wesley Fofana. 'The transfer period is still open and it gets later and later,' Tuchel said. 'We need to focus on what we have.'
Leeds manager Jesse Marsch disagreed with Tuchel's assessment, insisting that his team's style dictated the match. 'If you give those quality players time, they can create chances. We wanted to make them uncomfortable,' he said.
