McFarlane reveals tactical masterstroke behind Leeds win

Interim manager Calum McFarlane admitted relief was his primary emotion after Chelsea ended a difficult run of form by defeating Leeds United 1-0 in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

The cup tie marked McFarlane’s first match in his second stint as interim boss, following the dismissal of Liam Rosenior earlier in the week.

Chelsea showed clear improvement from their previous outing, a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

A first-half header from Enzo Fernández proved decisive. While Leeds mounted a stronger challenge after the break, Daniel Farke’s side struggled to create clear chances against goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.

The victory halted a three-game losing streak for Chelsea, which had followed their dominant 7-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Port Vale. A run of five Premier League matches without a goal had ultimately led to Rosenior’s departure.

In contrast, Leeds arrived unbeaten in seven matches across all competitions, a run that concerned McFarlane pre-match.

“Relief is the correct word. We were confident going into the game, we had a really good three days, but you never know.

“We really wanted to shift the momentum. Our form hasn’t been great recently, that’s where the relief comes in,” McFarlane told TNT Sports.

Reflecting on his return, he added, “It’s been easier this time because I already have a relationship with the players. I understood what they needed psychologically.”

McFarlane also revealed the tactical tweak that proved decisive.

“We knew Leeds were dangerous when we had deep possession because they go man-to-man, so we wanted to go longer. Create a bit of fear in them with our pace, and once they dropped, we had space to play,” he explained.