Chelsea travel to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Sunday and Thomas Tuchel will be hoping to see a performance that builds upon the Blues' efforts against Spurs and can earn three points. The west London side had a sluggish pre-season and laboured to an opening day win over Everton, but despite only drawing with the Lilywhites, seemed to step up a gear in their performance.
The Blues will have to continue their good form without N'Golo Kante, who suffered an injury in the game against Spurs and is now set to be out for several weeks, while Mateo Kovacic and Armando Broja have also been ruled out of the clash.
Chelsea were able to come away 3-0 victors at Elland Road in May thanks to goals from Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku in an established performance during a period where Tuchel's side struggled towards the end of last season. However, while Leeds are winless in seven Premier League matches against Chelsea, the Blues have never won consecutive away games against the Yorkshire side.
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“I expect a high-intensity game, a high-pressing team from Leeds and a very emotional stadium," said Tuchel. "We had a fantastic game last season at Elland Road and scored very early, very dominant and very focused and effective in front of goal.
"Of course, there was an early red card that played into our hands. Still, was a very good performance. This is what we expect. Repetitive intensity, high pressing 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.
"We have to be well aware and also to manage our expectations, our level of acceptance for mistakes because mistakes against these high intensive teams like Liverpool, Leeds, Southampton, who have a certain style of pressing – you make mistakes. You cannot play without mistakes against these teams. You accept it before the match and make the best out of it, find the spaces.
"There is not a lot of time for decision making and this is what we prepare for now in training and hope to be on our top level and to find the level we had last week to be able to prove the statistics wrong! I did not know about it (record at Elland Road). So thanks for telling me.”
With all that said, football.london 's Chelsea reporters name the team they would select to face Leeds United below:
Adam Newson
It will undoubtedly be frustrating for Thomas Tuchel that several injury issues have already arisen within his squad. But one player's misfortune is another's opportunity and there will be members of the Chelsea first-team squad ready to grasp their chance at Elland Road.
Edouard Mendy is the clear candidate to start in goal and Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly should keep their places. I would bring Trevoh Chalobah into the back three after his 90-minute outing for the Development Squad on Monday evening.
That would in turn allow Reece James to occupy the right wing-back spot from which he can be so devastating. Marc Cucurella impressed against Tottenham and should get another run out at left wing-back. Then we get to the central midfield positions – and Tuchel has a big call to make.
Jorginho is expected to start but who partners the Italian is a big call with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka genuine options. I feel it's a chance to test Gallagher in the Chelsea midfield at the highest level, something he has more than earned.
I'd not make any changes to the front three despite chances being missed in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham last weekend. That means Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling all start once more, and the hope is there constant interchanging will disrupt the Leeds backline.
Adam's XI: Mendy; Chalobah, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Gallagher, Jorginho, Cucurella; Mount, Sterling, Havertz
Scott Trotter
While Chelsea's team in recent weeks has been reasonably straightforward to name, the trip to Elland Road poses a number of problems for Thomas Tuchel. Ruben Loftus-Cheek put in an impressive outing against Spurs but it would be difficult not to pick Reece James at wing-back for consecutive matches. If the 22-year-old does move back to the flank, the question opens up at who will start on the right of Chelsea's back three.
Cesar Azpilicueta started there against Everton, while Trevoh Chalobah is another option having built up his match fitness in a 90-minute outing with the development side. Last season's breakthrough star has drawn loan interest, however, which sees his Stamford Bridge future uncertain. While his position may be more in doubt if Wesley Fofana arrives, Chalobah's pace and agility is a rare thing missing from the club's central defenders and could be worthy of a start, particularly after a good performance back in May.
Marc Cucurella showed enough against Tottenham to keep his place in the side, with Ben Chilwell still finding his feet this season. Jorginho feels like a guarantee to start in the centre of the pitch, and Loftus-Cheek's form makes him a candidate to earn a place in the starting XI.
Armando Broja's injury and Christian Pulisic returning from an issue, makes it a fairly simple decision for Tuchel to keep faith with the same front three once again.
Scott's XI: Mendy, Chalobah, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Jorginho, Gallagher, Cucurella; Mount, Sterling, Havertz.
Bobby Vincent
Broja being out is a blow for Tuchel, but I think it was unlikely he would have played from the start anyway. So Havertz is up front, for me, with Sterling and Mount behind him again after an impressive display from the front three against Spurs.
Loftus-Cheek, who played right wing-back against Spurs, was so impressive last weekend that I would keep him in, but I would put him in the centre of midfield alongside Jorginho. Kante and Kovacic are both out and there is of course an argument for Gallagher, but Loftus-Cheek would be my choice.
I'd go for Cucurella again on the left, with James on the right and then a back-three of Chalobah, Silva and Koulibaly. Azpilicueta could come in on the right-hand side of a three but I think Chalobah deserves a go, especially considering he is yet to play for the senior side this season.
Bobby's XI: Mendy; Chalobah, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Cucurella; Mount, Sterling, Havertz
Daniel Childs
The injuries to Armando Broja and N'Golo Kante likely mean that both Kai Havertz and Conor Gallagher start on Sunday at Elland Road. Thomas Tuchel needs to harness the intensity and precision of last Sunday's display, hoping for a bit more productivity from his front-line against an opponent who could allow more space out wide and offer up good looks at goal.
There could be an argument to keep Ruben Loftus-Cheek in his right wing-back spot, but Reece James proved why he's so dangerous in that position in the second half last Sunday. Tuchel's comments about Cucurella and Chilwell were interesting, could we see both start on Sunday?
Daniel's XI: Mendy, Koulibaly, Thiago Silva, Cucurella; James, Jorginho, Gallagher, Chilwell; Mount, Sterling, Havertz.
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