A second goal in three days from 16-year-old James Milner gave Leeds a valuable victory and dented Chelsea's title ambitions at Elland Road.

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri's seven-man reshuffle of the team that drew with Southampton backfired as Jonathan Woodgate and Milner put Leeds 2-0 up by half-time.

And despite further changes at the break, Chelsea could not get the goal they needed to spark a comeback as Enrique de Lucas and Eidur Gudjohnsen squandered chances.

Key incidents

4 mins: Gallas heads wide for Chelsea 30 mins: Woodgate heads Leeds in front 45 mins: Milner doubles Leeds' advantage 56 mins: Chelsea's De Lucas misses from six yards

Ranieri had begun with a major revamp of the meanest defence in the league, Mario Melchiot, John Terry and Celestine Babayaro making way for Albert Ferrer, William Gallas and Graeme Le Saux.

Despite their wholesale changes Chelsea made the more coherent start, with Gallas heading wide and Gianfranco Zola shaving the bar with a free-kick early on.

But Leeds began to work their way into the game and their growing momentum was rewarded with a goal on the half hour.

Harry Kewell's shot was deflected wide but there was to be no second escape for the Chelsea defence.

With two matches in three days, I thought I could change seven players for the second game and we would play better. I was wrong. Claudio Ranieri Chelsea manager

Jason Wilcox swung in the corner and Woodgate headed home via a Gallas deflection to score on his return to the team after an ankle injury.

If that goal cast doubt on the wisdom of Ranieri's selection, there was worse to come on the stroke of half-time as Milner doubled Leeds' advantage.

On the field for only 15 minutes as a substitute for the injured Harry Kewell, the teenager, who on Boxing Day became the Premiership's youngest scorer, struck with a superb effort.

Picking up Mark Viduka's pass in first-half injury time, Milner beat his man before thumping a right-foot shot low into the net with Blues keeper Ed de Goey powerless to stop him.

Chelsea's predicament prompted Ranieri to make two further changes at the break, bringing on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and De Lucas for Jesper Gronkjaer and Albert Ferrer.

It was a very good performance and a lot of things are taking shape now Terry Venables Leeds manager

De Lucas spurned a glorious chance in the 56th minute, firing wide when poised to finish a superb Chelsea move.

And Chelsea gained final proof their luck was out when Eidur Gudjohnsen blazed over the bar from Hasselbaink's flick with 15 minutes to play.

Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Woodgate, Mills, Lucic, Bakke (Johnson 85), Smith, Okon, Wilcox, Kewell (Milner 31), Viduka (Fowler 83).
Subs not used: Martyn, Duberry.

Booked: Smith, Okon

Chelsea: De Goey, Ferrer (Hasselbaink 45), Desailly, Gallas, Le Saux, Stanic, Morris, Lampard, Gronkjaer (De Lucas 45), Zola, Gudjohnsen.
Subs not used: Pidgeley, Babayaro, Terry.

Att: 40,122

Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire)