Leeds United and Chelsea will be eager to return to winning ways when they clash at Elland Road on Wednesday.
Gameweek 14 of the 2025/26 Premier League season will continue with an action-packed Wednesday. The action on the day will end with two simultaneous matches, including Leeds United vs Chelsea at Elland Road.
Leeds United seemed like one of the promoted clubs that may avoid relegation from the Premier League this season. However, the Whites have been dreadful in the last few weeks, and they are on a four-game losing streak. The run of results has left the West Yorkshire outfit in the drop zone, although they are behind 17th-placed West Ham United only on goal difference.
On the other hand, the last few weeks have created a narrative around Chelsea about the West London club being in contention to win the Premier League title. That reflected in the Blues’ performance against Arsenal this past weekend, as they gave Arsenal a run for their money despite being a man down for nearly an hour. However, the 1-1 draw has taken Enzo Maresca’s men to third in the Premier League standings.
The most recent match involving Leeds United and Chelsea ended in a narrow 3-2 win for the West London club in February 2024, with Conor Gallagher scoring the match-winning goal. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Leeds United
Daniel Farke has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Leeds United manager may be bereft of the services of two first-team players vs Chelsea on Wednesday.
Daniel Farke is the latest absentee after picking up a hamstring injury this past weekend against Chelsea on Wednesday. The Welsh winger has joined Sean Longstaff (calf) in the treatment room. However, Karl Darlow (groin), Sebastiaan Bornauw (knee), and Anton Stach (head) have stepped up their recoveries, and they face late fitness tests to determine their availability.
Lucas Perri is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Leeds United lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Chelsea on Wednesday. The backline will feature Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, and Gabriel Gudmundsson.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Ilia Gruev, Ethan Ampadu, and Ao Tanaka, with Anton Stach being a backup option on the bench. Finally, Lukas Nmecha will lead the line for Leeds United against Chelsea, with Noah Okafor and Wilfried Gnonto being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Gruev, Ampadu, Tanaka; Gnonto, Nmecha, Okafor
Chelsea
Like his counterpart in the Leeds United dugout, Enzo Maresca has a new roster issue that is hampering his preparations ahead of the trip to Elland Road. The Chelsea manager will be without five first-team players on Wednesday.
Moises Caicedo is the latest absentee after being sent off in the game against Arsenal this past weekend. Meanwhile, Levi Colwill (knee), Dario Essugo (thigh), and Romeo Lavia (hamstring) remain in the treatment room. Additionally, Mykhailo Mudryk is indefinitely unavailable after failing a doping test several months ago.
The resurgent Robert Sanchez will take his usual spot between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Leeds United on Wednesday. The backline will feature Malo Gusto, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, and Marc Cucurella. So, the injury-prone duo of Reece James and Wesley Fofana will get some rest this midweek.
As for the midfield unit, Andrey Santos will deputise for Caicedo as Enzo Fernandez’s partner in the double pivot. Joao Pedro will reprise the no. 10 role, with Estevao Willian and Pedro Neto being the two wide attackers. Finally, Liam Delap will spearhead the Chelsea attack against Leeds United on Wednesday. So, Cole Palmer will be a backup option on the bench for the away side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella; Andrey Santos, Enzo Fernandez; Estevao, Joao Pedro, Neto; Delap
Key Stats
- Leeds United have won only one of their last nine Premier League games vs Chelsea (D2 L6), the most recent meeting at Elland Road in August 2022 (3-0). The Blues have won just six of their 48 away league games against Leeds United (D13 L29). Only against Sheffield Wednesday (12%) do they have a lower win rate on the road than ties with the Whites (12.5% – min. 20 matches).
- Leeds United have lost two of their last three home league matches (W1), only one fewer than in their previous 49 combined at Elland Road (W35 D11 L3).
- Five of Leeds United’s seven Premier League goals at Elland Road this season have come in the first half of games (71%). They have a 10% shot conversion in the first 45 minutes (5 goals from 50 shots), which drops to 4.7% in the second half (2 goals from 43 shots).
- Enzo Maresca has lost both of his previous league games against Leeds United, losing both with Leicester City in the EFL Championship in 2023/24. They are one of three sides he has managed more than once and lost every game against in English football, along with Middlesbrough and Manchester City. His only trip to Elland Road was a 3-1 loss in February 2024.
- Daniel Farke has lost all three of his Premier League matches against Chelsea, losing those games with Norwich City between 2019 and 2021 by an aggregate score of 11-2. His most recent game was a 7-0 drubbing in October 2021.
Player to Watch
Cole Palmer
While Enzo Fernandez, Lukas Nmecha, and Ethan Ampadu were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Cole Palmer as the Player to Watch for Wednesday’s Premier League clash between Leeds United and Chelsea at Elland Road.
Palmer’s only previous Premier League appearance against Leeds United was as an 88th-minute substitute for Manchester City in a 3-1 win at Elland Road in December 2022. The Whites are one of only three teams he has faced and not scored or assisted against, along with Leicester City and Norwich City.
Meanwhile, during his stint with Chelsea, the English international has done so against 21 of the 22 teams he has faced, failing only against the Foxes last season. Like his previous outing against Leeds United, Palmer will likely appear off the bench on Wednesday, and he will be eager to break his duck and announce his return in style.
Prediction
Leeds United 1-3 Chelsea
A few weeks ago, this fixture may have been a potential banana skin tie for Chelsea. The Blues were not at their best, and Leeds United gave many well-known clubs a run for their money. While the Whites produced a gutsy performance against Manchester City this past weekend, the game exposed their defensive frailties.
Additionally, Chelsea will have the returning Cole Palmer wreaking havoc in the second half, and he will combine with Estevao Willian to clinch a hard-fought win for the away side. While Leeds United will take the game to Chelsea, The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Enzo Maresca and his charges.
