A PATCHED-UP Jorginho fired two nerveless penalties to sink Leeds 3-2 at Stamford Bridge and set Chelsea’s Premier League title chase back on track.

The Italy midfielder played through the pain of a continued back issue to ease the Blues’ midfield injury problems, with N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic sidelined.

Jorginho duly buried his 14th and 15th Premier League spot-kicks for Chelsea, to steer his side two points behind leaders Manchester City.

Raphinha converted his own penalty to send Leeds into an early lead in west London, only to concede a spot-kick at the other end when scything down Toni Rudiger.

Germany defender Rudiger then won Chelsea’s second penalty at the death to boot, when fouled by Mateusz Klich.

Leeds thought they had scrambled a point as teenage forward Joe Gelhardt climbed off the bench to send the Whites level at 2-2 in the closing minutes.

But Chelsea were determined not to wind up without a win for the fourth time in their last six top-flight outings.

And while Leeds were desperately trying to tiptoe away with the draw, Rudiger piled into the box and forced another penalty.

Jorginho just about remains the world’s surest best from the spot, and the former Napoli player made no mistake to secure all three points for the Blues.

Boss Thomas Tuchel had demanded Chelsea stopped sitting on leads after a patchy run in the Premier League of late, but again the Blues failed to take control for large swathes of this tetchy encounter.

Jorginho’s rescue act might just breathe the kind of renewed confidence and spirit to send the Blues into the rest of a hectic December in top spirits however.

Chelsea struggled for fluency in a staccato first half, only saving themselves in the closing stages to turn around level at the break.

Marcos Alonso upended Dan James to hand Leeds the ideal chance to open the scoring from the spot, and Raphinha made no mistake with his calm effort.

Chelsea continued to claw away at urgency and efficiency, only to equalise from a moment of pure opportunism.

Alonso robbed a flat-footed Stuart Dallas who failed to control Illan Meslier’s pass, before sending a low ball to the near post.

Mount peeled off the defensive cover and swept into the net to level the clash, with the Blues mightily relieved to be on terms at the interval.

Chelsea returned far more measured and calm on the ball after the break, eventually stealing into the lead from a penalty of their own.

Raphinha scythed through Rudiger in the box and the spot-kick was duly awarded after a VAR review.

Jorginho stepped up and tapped into the top corner, keeping his head to hand Chelsea control.

The hosts failed to build on that advantage however, once again easing off the throttle when finally in charge.

Just when the hosts thought they could grind out a vital win, replacement striker Gelhardt steamed in and buried a cross.

Chelsea refused to roll over though, and Jorginho finally secured the victory, converting again from the spot.

Klich tussled with Rudiger and was censored for the challenge, and as per usual Jorginho did the rest from 12 yards.

Elsewhere, Martin Odegaard scored for a third successive game as Arsenal eased their way to a 3-0 victory over Southampton.

Gunners skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was dropped from the matchday squad for disciplinary reasons.

Odegaard added the second in the 27th minute shortly after Alexandre Lacazette had put Mikel Arteta’s side ahead with his first goal since mid-October with Gabriel wrapping up the win midway through the second half.

Arsenal manager Arteta explained the absence of Aubameyang before kick-off, confirming the forward was missing due to a “disciplinary breach”.

Aubameyang – who was also left out of the side for the north London derby with Tottenham in March for disciplinary reasons – had been dropped to the bench for Monday’s defeat at Everton, prompting questions about the striker’s future at the Emirates Stadium.

And Arteta stuck with the same starting line-up with Lacazette once again wearing the captain’s armband.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, meanwhile, made five changes to the team that started in last weekend’s draw with Brighton including  debut for goalkeeper Willy Caballero, 40, who joined Saints last week after Alex McCarthy and Fraser Forster were ruled out.

Caballero, who was on the bench when Chelsea won the Champions League in May, was making his first Premier League appearance in 15 months.

But it was opposite number Aaron Ramsdale who was the busier of the two keepers during the opening period of the game.

The Arsenal man was forced into a hurried save to keep out an Adam Armstrong effort before diving low to his right to keep out a James Ward-Prowse free-kick.

Arsenal had offered little as an attacking force but found a way through Southampton’s defences with an incisive counter-attack to establish a 21st-minute lead.

Right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu released Bukaya Saka who advanced down the right before pulling a low cross back towards Lacazette who beat Caballero with a first-time finish from 12 yards out.

The goal shifted the momentum of the game in Arsenal’s favour and Arteta’s side doubled their lead six minutes later.

On this occasion Arteta’s side switched the play from left to right from where Tomiyasu delivered a cross to Kieren Tierney at the far post.

The left-back’s first attempt to deliver the ball back into the middle of goal was blocked but he directed his second effort towards Odegaard who headed home from close range in the 27th minute.

Southampton appeared vulnerable whenever Arsenal pressed forward and the home side had chances to add to their lead before the break, particularly when Lacazette was halted by Kyle Walker-Peters’ last-ditch tackle.

The third goal eventually came in the 62nd minute when Gabriel headed home from Gabriel Martinelli’s corner three minutes after the Gunners defender had a scrambled effort ruled out for offside.

Martinelli and Saka then both hit the woodwork and Caballero saved well from Tomiyasu as Arsenal threatened to overwhelm the visitors.