How Morgan Rogers inspired incredible Chelsea comeback to answer Xabi Alonso call

Cole Palmer got the praise, but Blues’ record transfer is already paying off

Morgan Rogers could not believe his eyes. As he made his way into the interview room at Stamford Bridge after the 6-3 comeback win over Leeds in the Carabao Cup, his Chelsea team-mate and long-time friend Cole Palmer was handed the man of the match trophy.

Rogers, meanwhile, was given nothing. That didn’t go down well. “I got four assists! Nah,” the England midfielder yelled.

Gobsmacked that his pal had won the award, Rogers added: “I can’t believe that. That is mental. He scored a pen! That is mental, that is.”

As the producer tried to keep the peace, insisting there would be questions on Rogers’ fine start to life at Chelsea as well as Palmer’s display, Rogers doubled down. “No, don’t mention me - I’m just a bystander,” he said with a wry smile. “That is criminal.”

Rogers, like Palmer, was one of the four players introduced at half-time by a frustrated Xabi Alonso as Chelsea trailed Leeds 1-0 and faced a third-round exit from the Carabao Cup - one of only three competitions they are playing in this season due to the absence of European football.

It got worse for Chelsea before it got better - 1-0 down becoming 2-0 - but then the difference-makers got to work. Palmer scored a penalty for 2-1 and finished sublimely into the far corner for 2-2.

Dream start: Morgan Rogers is already thriving at Chelsea

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But Rogers assisted three goals in 10 minutes. If you are willing to give him the credit for the fifth goal created for Valentin Barco too, then it was four assists in 12 minutes.

There is a long way to go, but Rogers is already beginning to pay back the £117million fee that Chelsea paid Aston Villa to make the 24-year-old their record signing this summer.

Rogers has looked sharp on each of his five appearances for Chelsea so far, zipping about the pitch in the half-spaces, forming a burgeoning chemistry with Palmer and Joao Pedro in a front three that has the potential to become the Premier League’s most devastating by quite some distance.

In his 45-minute cameo against Leeds, just as in the league wins over Fulham and Brighton, Rogers created more chances than anyone else in a Chelsea shirt.

Plenty of Chelsea attackers in recent seasons have been streaky in their form, but the club willingly paid a premium for Rogers, a Premier League-proven performer with a consistency of attacking output that had marked him out as one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards.

Two goals and five assists in five games across all competitions demonstrate that he is already replicating his Villa form in west London.

It is little wonder that Arsenal were so keen on signing him this summer. However, they dallied and paid a high price as Chelsea paid a high price to skip the queue and get their man.

“You should have signed for a big club,” was the chant Arsenal fans levelled at Rogers when he was substituted last Sunday. His fine volley inside 77 seconds at the Emirates Stadium showed Arsenal exactly what they had missed out on. Their loss is Chelsea’s gain.

Rogers shares with Palmer that invaluable trait of being able to exert a huge influence on a match without seeing the ball a great deal

Rogers shares with Palmer, his childhood friend from their days together in Manchester City’s academy, that invaluable trait of being able to exert a huge influence on a match without seeing the ball a great deal. His decision-making on Wednesday is what helped him register three, possibly four, assists from just 0.16 xA.

That front three of Rogers, Palmer and Joao Pedro is expected to blow teams away in multiple games throughout the season. That started on opening night against Fulham and was showcased to an even greater extent on Wednesday.

Joao Pedro wasn’t even needed; it just required Rogers and Palmer to turn on the style and inspire six second-half Chelsea goals.

Palmer said the half-time message from Alonso had been to “up the intensity”, and introducing him and his good friend Rogers was a sure-fire way of doing that.

“Me and Morgs and Joao especially — not to say the defenders aren’t — but, yeah, we’re enjoying it,” Palmer explained afterwards. That said it all about where Alonso’s Chelsea are clicking and where they are not.

Rogers was asked what has helped him settle so quickly at his new club.

“The environment, the coaching staff, the players have welcomed me in and allowed me to be me and show what I’m about,” he replied. “To play with this calibre of players makes my life a lot easier. I can show my ability as best as possible.”

Rogers believes Chelsea’s new-look frontline is already “clicking”, and that “it doesn’t usually happen quite this early.” He has looked nothing other than a shrewd investment so far.