Morgan Rogers jokingly labeled Cole Palmer's player of the match award as "criminal" after Chelsea's dramatic 6-3 victory over Leeds in the Carabao Cup third round. The forward expressed mock frustration in a post-match interview, questioning the decision after his own impactful performance.

Chelsea had trailed 2-0 at halftime before the introduction of Rogers and Palmer, among four substitutes, helped spark a second-half resurgence. Palmer scored twice in quick succession, including a penalty, to level the score. Rogers, who believed he had contributed three assists, played a key role in Chelsea taking control of the match.

"Mate, I got four assists," Rogers said. "I can't believe that, that is mental, he scored a pen." Palmer acknowledged Rogers' contribution, stating, "I started the comeback, I will shout you out, I'll shout you out and say you should have had it."

Rogers continued his playful protest, adding, "That is mental, don't mention me, I am just a bystander, that is criminal." When asked if he would present the trophy to Palmer, Rogers quipped, "I will unfortunately yes, it is rigged."

Despite the lighthearted dispute, Rogers expressed enthusiasm for his role at Chelsea. "The environment, the players, the coaching staff have allowed me in and let me show what I'm about," he said. "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."

Rogers, who previously played with Palmer as a youth at Manchester City, sees potential in the current Chelsea squad. "You can see it [building something special]. 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," he noted. "It's exciting but we've still got a long way to go and a lot to achieve."

Chelsea secured their progression to the next round of the competition with goals from Valentin Barco and a late second from Danny Welbeck, after Dominic Calvert-Lewin had scored for Leeds late in the game. Palmer’s two goals and Rogers’ playmaking were central to Chelsea overcoming the deficit and ultimately sealing the comprehensive win.