NEEDS REWORDING FORGET the title now Leeds and start looking nervously over your shoulder, because on this showing the chasing pack are starting to look a real threat.

On an afternoon when Chelsea's foreign legion arrived in West Yorkshire it was an English born youngster who grabbed the headlines, as just past the hour mark,John Harley stole into the United area to grab the only goal of a surprisingly low key game.

With both sides looking at big European action in midweek it's hard to explain why a fixture usually so full of incident was so low key, and it wasn't until inside the last five minutes that the game exploded into life, when a challenge by Alan Smith on Frank Leboeuf almost sparked a melee, but was expertly handled by referee Jeff Winter.

By then it was too late for the Whites and this third successive defeat may be starting to set alarm bells ringing in the United camp.

Manager David O'Leary received a boost before kick off when Lee Bowyer was declared fit, but leading scorer Michael Bridges missed the game with an ankle injury, Alan Smith returning to the starting line-up.

For Chelsea, no Tore Andre Flo, Zola only on the bench, as Blues manager Gianluca Vialli started with Liberian ace George Weah and Chris Sutton in attack.

After an injury to Gary Kelly in the first minute, it was the Londoners who started the brighter with United finding possession hard to come by. That said, Leeds keeper Nigel Martyn wasn't threatened inside the first ten minutes until George Weah fired into the side netting from a tight angle.

Chelsea skipper Dennis Wise tested referee's Jeff Winter's resolve with a scything tackle on Jason Wilcox and was lucky to escape without a yellow card.

Fifteen minutes in Leeds at last found their rhythm and went the closest to opening the scoring when Wilcox's corner from the left found Ian Harte in the box unmarked. The Irish defender stooped to head goalwards, Alan Smith flew in, but couldn't make contact and De Goey gathered.

Good work by Gary Kelly and Jason Wilcox put Chelsea on the backfoot again and after United's fourth corner, Lee Bowyer sent a 20 yard drive flashing past De Goey's left hand upright.

After a great headed clearance by Ian Harte saved Leeds from a Chelsea attack down the left, United were in the corner routine again, this time Eirik Bakke glancing a header wide from eight yards out.

For a Leeds Chelsea game, the action was still low key, lacking the usual passion of so many previous encounters. United went close again when Kewell found space on the left and his low cross was met by a combination of Wilcox and Smith, De Goey doing well to push the ball round the post.

A bad tackle by Jody Morris on Eirik Bakke earned the first booking of the afternoon, but United survived a scare when George Weah had acres of space on the edge of the area only to shoot tamely straight at Nigel Martyn.

Wilcox drove wide of an upright from outside the area, as did Di Matteo for Chelsea, but the first half petered out into a tame stalemate, leaving both managers with much to think about at half time.

If a packed Elland Road was hoping for better things from Leeds after the restart they were disappointed.

Chelsea forced United back and Nigel Martyn was forced to tip over a curling shot by John Harley over his bar. George Weah then had a free header ten yards out, but although the Liberian's effort had power, it lacked accuracy and sailed over.

Leeds' best effort came when Ian Harte curled a 25 yard free kick narrowly wide, then the same player played a great ball into the area where Bakke mistimed his header and Chelsea survived.

Gianluca Vialli's side then rocked United on 62 minutes. A chipped ball through found John Harley on the edge of the area and as Gary Kelly slipped, the youngster had time to drive the ball across Nigel Martyn and into the net.

Chelsea snuffed out Leeds' response, a shot by McPhail was blocked on the edge of the area and Ian Harte sliced another effort well wide.

United boss David O'Leary sent on Darren Huckerby for Jason Wilcox and with Harry Kewell pushed out left, the Australian finally found some space, ghosting into the box to meet a cross from the right, to loop a header over De Goey's crossbar.

Lee Bowyer volleyed wide from a McPhail corner and then went agonisingly close as he stooped to head wide from a cross by Harry Kewell.

But Leeds can have few complaints. They simply didn't play to their usual high tempo and were outsmarted by a Chelsea side who remain unbeaten in the Premiership this year.

With all the other contenders for Europe all winning, Leeds need to rediscover the winning formula and quickly. Istanbul on Thursday night wouldn't be bad for starters.