Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has made just one change to his side for this afternoon’s Premier League against Leeds United at Elland Road.
The Blues make the long trip to West Yorkshire hoping to continue their unbeaten start to the new campaign; Chelsea have thus far overcome Everton and drawn with Tottenham Hotspur.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Tuchel said: “I expect a high-intensity game, a high-pressing team and a very emotional stadium. “We expect intensity and a team that loves the chaos, a team of Leeds that has a high acceptance for mistakes. They don’t get frustrated by mistakes, they accept mistakes as chances to do counter-pressing and so on.”
Chelsea set their standard of performance against Tottenham time out, and it’s little surprise Tuchel hasn’t made wholesale changes to his starting XI.
Edouard Mendy begins in goal once more and the Senegal international will be protected by a back three of Reece James, Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly. Ruben Loftus-Cheek begins at right wing-back and Tuchel has challenged the 26-year-old to follow up the display he produced in the draw against Spurs.
“With Ruben, to be very honest, I always struggle to tell him how good it was because I’m always in fear he will drop one little percent in the next game. I feel he needs the support and the love of everybody around him. But at the same time he needs to be pushed because sometimes he struggles to show everybody how strong he is.
“He can manage to play games where nobody can see how strong he is. I was so, so happy he finally [showed it] in pre-season and now in the last two matches, and especially in the 90 minutes against Tottenham, he proved it to everybody."
On the opposite flank to Loftus-Cheek is Marc Cucurella, with the Spaniard signed from Brighton and Hove Albion this summer preferred over Ben Chilwell once again.
With N’Golo Kante ruled out due to injury, there was always going to be a change in Chelsea’s midfield and Tuchel has decided to bring academy graduate Conor Gallagher in for his first Blues start. He will partner Italian international Jorginho,
The front three remains the same as against Tottenham: Mason Mount will be deployed from the left, Raheem Sterling will play through the centre, and Kai Havertz will come in off the right. But there is likely to be plenty of rotation between the trio as the match progresses.
Chelsea : Mendy; James, Silva, Koulibaly; Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Gallagher, Cucurella; Mount, Sterling, Havertz
Chelsea substitutes : Kepa, Pulisic, Chalobah, Ziyech, Hudson-Odoi, Chilwell, Azpilicueta, Ampadu, Chukwuemeka
