Leeds United welcome Chelsea to Elland Road in a crunch clash at opposite ends of the Premier League table.
Victory would see Leeds climb out of the relegation zone and drop Burnley instead into the bottom three, whilst Chelsea can stay third and open a four-point gap to fourth-placed Arsenal with a win.
Team News
Luke Ayling is suspended for Leeds until end of season after he was red carded in Sunday’s defeat at Arsenal
Liam Cooper (knee) is again doubtful but Adam Forshaw (knee), Crysencio Summerville (ankle), Tyler Roberts (hamstring), Stuart Dallas (thigh) and Patrick Bamford (foot) are absent.
Chelsea could welcome N’Golo Kante and Jorginho back into contention after the pair missed recent games with knocks.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Achilles) and Ben Chilwell (back) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Leeds have claimed just two points from their last six league meetings against Chelsea (D2, L4).
- Chelsea are winless in their last five league visits to Elland Road (D3, L2).
- Two of Chelsea’s last three draws away at Elland Road have finished goalless – in October 2001 and March 2021.
- Leeds’ Daniel James has scored two right-footed goals in 33 appearances this season, just as many as he netted on the same foot for Manchester United last season in 15 appearances.
- Antonio Rudiger has been yellow carded in each of Chelsea’s last two league matches played away from home.
Prediction
Having slipped into the relegation zone following a lacklustre scrappy defensive display in their defeat at Arsenal, Leeds certainly need to deliver a huge reaction and win here if they’re to put pressure back on Burnley and Everton in the race for survival.
Chelsea however will be a difficult team for Jesse Marsch’s Whites to beat if they turn up at Elland Road and dominate like they did at home to Wolves on Saturday, although the visitors need to tighten up their marking once in the lead to avoid a repeat defensive implosion in the closing stages.
Elland Road though have been quite a hoodoo ground for Chelsea in the Premier League which will give Leeds some hope, yet they and particularly Illan Meslier can’t afford to mess up here otherwise they could face a must-win match on Sunday against an in-form Brighton.
Prediction: Leeds 1-2 Chelsea
Result: Leeds 0-3 Chelsea
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