Stamford Bridge is the venue as Chelsea and Leeds United lock horns in Saturday’s Premier League showdown.
The Blues succumbed to a 3-2 defeat to West Ham United in a feisty all-London match-up last weekend, suffering a Premier League reverse after taking the lead twice for the first time since May 2016.
Thomas Tuchel’s side failed to recover from falling from the league summit, as they could only manage a 3-3 draw at Zenit St Petersburg in midweek Champions League action.
Those six goals conceded across those two matches are as many as Chelsea had let in across their opening 14 Premier League outings this season.
Now keen to return to winning ways, the reigning Champions League holders go up against a Leeds side that cannot catch a break in the Premier League this term.
After a respectable half-table finish in their returning top-flight campaign last season, the Whites have struggled to impress this term, winning just 20% of their league game so far.
It comes as no surprise that they are only six points clear of the drop zone after drawing 46.67% of their Premier League fixtures so far and scoring an average of 1.0 goal per match.
An experienced manager like Marcelo Bielsa knows such a big scalp as Chelsea’s could be a season-changing moment for his Leeds team going into the business end of the year.
Chelsea vs Leeds United Head-to-Head
Unfortunately for Leeds, they are not only up against Chelsea here but history too, having last won at Stamford Bridge in November 2000.
The Whites have since lost all four Premier League visits to west London and could make it five consecutive league defeats in a row here for the first time in the club’s history.
Other competitions included, the Blues have gone unbeaten in six encounters against Leeds (W4, D2) since losing 2-0 at Elland Road in December 2002.
Chelsea Preview
Chelsea have drawn their last two Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge despite taking the lead on each occasion, including a 1-1 parity with Manchester United last time out.
They face the risk of going winless in three home league games in a row for the first time since 2019/20 – an indignity last suffered in front of attending fans under Frank Lampard.
West Ham became only the second Premier League side to have netted more than twice against Chelsea in 34 top-flight fixtures during Tuchel’s era.
In an attacking sense, though, the Blues have netted a league joint-high 18 Premier League goals at home this term, although it’s worth noting that they’ve scored one or less in three of their last five such fixtures.
Mason Mount has been largely responsible for Chelsea’s recent good deeds up top.
The English prodigy has scored and assisted in three of his last four Premier League starts for the Pensioners.
Leeds United Preview
Since losing 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur in their first Premier League match in the post-November international break period, Leeds have gone three league games without losing (W1, D2).
Another trip to London may stir bitter memories, as the Whites have only won two of their previous 32 away fixtures in the capital across all competitions (D7, L23).
Leeds’ away league form this season remains an issue (W1, D3, L3), with that solitary win coming at the expense of relegation-threatened Norwich.
Bielsa’s men have scored one goal or less in six of their seven Premier League travels thus far, netting a mere two first-half goals in the process.
Any hope of improving that record will hinge on in-form winger Raphinha, who has racked up six of Leeds’ 15 overall top-flight goals this season.
The Brazilian’s strikes have earned his side seven points, including his late winner against Chelsea’s fellow London rivals Crystal Palace a fortnight ago.
Chelsea vs Leeds United Predicted Line-ups
Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Edouard Mendy; AndreasChristensen, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger; Callum Hudson-Odoi; Reece James, Saul Niguez, Marcos Alonso; Ziyech, Mason Mount; Romelu Lukaku.
Leeds United (3-4-3): Illan Meslier; Luke Ayling, Diego Llorente, Pascal Struijk; Stuart Dallas, Kalvin Phillips, Adam Forshaw, Junior Firpo; Raphinha, Tyler Roberts, Daniel James.
