Morgan Rogers playfully labelled Cole Palmer winning player of the match as criminal after Chelsea fought back from two goals down to beat Leeds United 6-3 at Stamford Bridge in the Carabao Cup third round.
The Blues had looked at risk of crashing out of the competition after trailing 2-0 at the interval. However, the introduction of four half-time substitutes, including both Rogers and Palmer, transformed the contest in the second half.
Palmer sparked the turnaround by scoring twice in three minutes, including a finish from the penalty spot to bring Chelsea level. Summer signing Rogers, who joined in a 117 million pound deal, provided three assists by laying on goals for Pedro Neto and Danny Welbeck as the hosts took command.
Valentin Barco scored to extend Chelsea's advantage, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin netted for Leeds before Welbeck scored a late second goal to complete the 6-3 victory and seal progression to the fourth round.
Post-match banter at Stamford Bridge
In a post-match video shared by Sky Sports Football, Rogers jokingly expressed frustration after discovering Palmer had been awarded player of the match over him following their dominant second-half display.
Believing he had contributed four assists during his time on the pitch, Rogers argued with his teammate after the match, shouting: "Mate, I got four assists! That is criminal!"
Rogers added: "I can't believe that, that is mental, he scored a pen." Palmer responded by pointing out his role in turning the match around, saying: "I started the comeback, I will shout you out, I'll shout you out and say you should have had it."
Rogers continued his mock outrage, replying: "That is mental, don't mention me, I am just a bystander, that is criminal." When asked whether he would hand the official trophy over to Palmer, Rogers quipped: "I will unfortunately yes, it is rigged."
The close friends previously played together as youth players at Manchester City before both moving on to establish themselves in senior English football. Palmer joined Chelsea earlier, while Rogers completed his transfer to Stamford Bridge during the summer window.
Building momentum at Chelsea
The Carabao Cup, officially known as the Football League Cup, is an annual knockout tournament open to clubs across the top four tiers of English football. Chelsea play their home matches at Stamford Bridge in Fulham, West London, while Leeds United are based at Elland Road in West Yorkshire.
Despite the humorous exchange over the individual award, Rogers spoke enthusiastically about his transition to life at Chelsea and the supportive environment created by the coaching staff and his teammates.
Rogers said: "The environment, the players, the coaching staff have allowed me in and let me show what I'm about. 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."
Looking ahead after Chelsea's impressive start to the season, Rogers acknowledged that while early progress is encouraging, the team remains focused on long-term development. He said: "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."
