Chelsea are looking to remain perfect in the Premier League under Liam Rosenior when they host Leeds United on Tuesday night.
After a nightmare run saw the Blues go without a victory for five consecutive league matches at the end of Enzo Maresca’s tenure, Chelsea are back to winning ways under their new English boss. The west London outfit have walked away with six victories in their last seven matches, with the only slip up coming in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal.
Without the domestic competition to worry about and the Champions League round of 16 not for another month, Chelsea are free to put more of their focus on battling Manchester United and Liverpool for a spot in the top five. The Club World Cup champions cannot afford to take Leeds lightly—the Whites already defeated them 3–1 in the reverse fixture in December.
Daniel Farke’s men will hope for a repeat of that night at Elland Road, but toppling an in-form Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is no easy task, especially for a club with just two league wins in their last eight matches.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s guide to the Premier League clash.
What Time Does Chelsea vs. Leeds Kick-Off?
- Location: London, England
- Stadium: Stamford Bridge
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 10
- Kick-off Time: 7:30 p.m. GMT / 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT
- Referee: Robert Jones
- VAR: John Brooks
Chelsea vs. Leeds Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Chelsea: 3 wins
- Leeds: 2 win
- Draws: 0
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Chelsea vs. Leeds on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | TNT Sports 4 |
| United States | Peacock, UNIVERSO, NBC Sports Newtwork |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network 2 Canada |
| Mexico | Not televised |
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea were hopeful to get Reece James back in time for Leeds’ trip to Stamford Bridge, but the skipper, who missed the last two matches due to a knock, is now battling illness, which could extend his time on the sidelines.
Should he be unable to feature, James joins Levi Colwill, Dário Essugo, Jamie Gittens and Roméo Lavia in the infirmary. The latter, though, is back in training and Rosenior confirmed the club has a “detailed plan” for the midfielder’s return. Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended, while Filip Jörgensen is a doubt.
Andrey Santos and Tosin Adarabioyo are expected to be available, but the pair are more likely to appear in Friday’s FA Cup bout with Hull City than in Premier League action. Rosenior will instead trust his best players to collect three points at Stamford Bridge, with talisman Cole Palmer looking to build off his hat-trick at the weekend.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds
Chelsea predicted lineup vs. Leeds (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernández; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro.
Leeds Team News
Unlike Rosenior, Farke almost has a fully fit squad to choose from come Tuesday. Anton Stach, who suffered a hip injury last week, remains stuck on the treatment table, while Pascal Struijk is a late exclusion due to a hip flexor issue.
The German boss will likely turn to Jaka Bijol to round out his back three. The centre back returned to the squad at the weekend after recovering from a hamstring injury and is in line to make his first appearance since Jan. 11.
Question marks surround Facundo Buonanotte’s involvement in the clash. The former Chelsea loanee can legally play in Tuesday’s fixture as Brighton & Hove Albion are his parent club but whether Farke will use him is another matter entirely. Buonanotte was not included in the squad at the weekend against Nottingham Forest, with the manager preferring the services of Daniel James and Willy Gnonto instead.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to lead the line at Stamford Bridge so long as he overcomes a bout of sickness. The striker will hope to once again find the back of the net against Chelsea, just as he did in the reverse fixture.
Leeds Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
Leeds predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (3-4-3): Darlow; Justin, Bijol, Rodon; Bogle, Ampadu, Gruev, Gudmundsson; Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor.
Chelsea vs. Leeds Score Prediction
Leeds have proven they can snatch points from the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United this season, but a weakened backline could open the door for the Blues to run riot in front of a home crowd, emboldened by their upturn in form and race for the Champions League places.
Then there’s the revenge factor given December’s result, providing Chelsea with all the motivation they need to handily dispatch Leeds on Tuesday. The firepower of Palmer and João Pedro should propel the hosts over the finish line.
Prediction: Chelsea 3–1 Leeds
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea vs. Leeds: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
