The England international, usually so clinical in front of goal, fired over from close range with the net at his mercy, costing the Blues a crucial victory in their battle for the Champions League places.
Cole Palmer could have won it for Chelsea in injury time
The miss came in the 94th minute of a tense encounter.
After Chelsea surrendered a two-goal lead, Moises Caicedo burst onto the right side of the penalty area and delivered a perfectly weighted low cross across the six-yard box.
Cole Palmer, unmarked and just a yard away, seemed confident of scoring his fifth goal in two games.
However, the 23-year-old shocked everyone as he failed to hit the ball properly and sent it high over the bar into the Shed End.
Palmer lay in the net with his head in his hands for several seconds as manager Liam Rosenior watched in disbelief from the touchline.
It was a rare human error from a player who has already scored four hat-tricks in the Premier League this season.
Stamford Bridge in disbelief?
Cole Palmer misses from scratch in stoppage time…@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/R31B8LKnsR
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 10, 2026
Leeds United are chasing Chelsea again
The result ensures that Leeds United remain Chelsea’s bogey team for the 2025-2026 season.
Daniel Farke’s side had already humiliated the Blues with a 3-1 win at Elland Road in December, and they showed similar resilience here to secure a double avoidance in the league.
Chelsea seemed to be cruising after goals from Joao Pedro and a penalty from Palmer, which gave them a 2-0 lead.
However, a spirited battle in Leeds saw Lukas Nmecha convert from the spot before Noah Okafor took advantage of a defensive mix-up between Robert Sanchez and Josh Acheampong to level the scores.
While the point puts Leeds four points clear of the relegation zone, the night will be remembered for Palmer’s late horror miss, a moment that could haunt Chelsea’s top-four ambitions in May.
#Watch #Cole #Palmer #produces #season #contender #Chelsea #draw #Leeds