Chelsea will welcome Leeds United to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night for an intriguing third-round EFL Cup tie, in a repeat of last season’s FA Cup semi-final.
The Blues enter the match after their first defeat under Xabi Alonso, while Leeds remain unbeaten at the beginning of the new campaign. With both teams balancing cup ambitions against their Premier League priorities, this could be a competitive encounter in west London.
Chelsea made an excellent start to the Premier League season, beating Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion in their opening two matches, but their momentum was checked on Sunday when Arsenal came from behind to win 2-1 at the Emirates. Morgan Rogers gave Chelsea an early lead after just 77 seconds, but Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard turned the match around.
Xabi Alonso will now want an immediate response, although the EFL Cup presents an opportunity to rotate his squad ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Hull City. Chelsea have a strong record at this stage of the competition. They have been eliminated in the third round only once in the last 15 seasons, when Manchester City defeated them 2-0 in 2022/23.
Leeds have also made a highly encouraging start to life in the Premier League and Daniel Farke’s side are unbeaten in their opening four competitive matches, recording two victories and two draws. Their away form has been particularly impressive, with Leeds securing consecutive victories over Nottingham Forest without conceding before drawing their next two league matches against Brentford and Brighton.
Last season’s form also provides plenty of encouragement as Leeds have lost just two of their last 16 competitive matches, recording eight victories and six draws during that period. Their priority remains consolidating their Premier League status, but the EFL Cup offers Farke an opportunity to build momentum and potentially create another memorable cup run.
The historical record makes for interesting reading as Chelsea have won their last 10 cup ties against Leeds, including three EFL Cup meetings and seven FA Cup encounters. Their most recent EFL Cup meeting came in December 2012, when Chelsea produced a remarkable 5-1 victory at Elland Road.
However, Leeds can point towards their recent meetings with confidence. The Whites defeated Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road last December before earning a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in February. They then narrowly lost the FA Cup semi-final 1-0 at Wembley in April.
Alonso will want his team to dominate possession and use their technical quality to move Leeds around the pitch. Their wide players should attempt to isolate the away side’s full-backs, while midfielders can look to exploit spaces between the lines.
Leeds, meanwhile, are unlikely to simply sit back. Farke’s side have demonstrated considerable resilience since returning to the Premier League and should look to press Chelsea whenever possible. Their ability to transition quickly could cause problems if the hosts commit too many players forward.
The visitors’ recent success against Chelsea also means they should enter the game without excessive fear. For the home side, the key will be avoiding another collapse after taking the lead. Their defeat to Arsenal demonstrated how quickly momentum can change against a high-quality opponent. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Chelsea are expected to rotate their side for Wednesday’s EFL Cup tie, with Jordan Henderson unavailable due to a wrist injury. Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra are also doubts with unspecified issues and may be rested. Xabi Alonso could make several changes at the back, with Mike Penders, Levi Colwill, Pep Chavarria, and Malo Gusto among those pushing for starts. Gusto also provides Alonso with an alternative option in midfield.
The Blues are expected to switch to a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Penders starting in goal behind Josh Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix, and Colwill should form the three-man defence. Malo Gusto and Pep Chavarría are likely to operate as wing-backs, while Romeo Lavia and Valentin Barco provide the central midfield platform.
There should also be changes in attack as Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers are unlikely to remain intact, giving several fringe attackers an opportunity. Estevao Willian could start alongside Palmer in the attacking midfield positions, with Danny Welbeck leading the line. Welbeck already has a goal in this competition after scoring against Luton Town in the previous round.
The inclusion of Palmer would give Chelsea an important creative outlet even with significant rotation. His ability to receive between the lines and combine with Estevao could be particularly useful against a Leeds side that has demonstrated considerable defensive resilience this season.
Chelsea will need to balance attacking intent with defensive security. Leeds have already collected positive results against the Blues recently, so Alonso will be keen to avoid another game in which the home side surrender control after taking the initiative.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Gusto, Lavia, Barco, Chavarria; Estevao, Palmer; Welbeck
Leeds United
Leeds United will have to contend with several fitness concerns ahead of Wednesday’s EFL Cup clash. Joe Rodon and Mateo Joseph remain long-term absentees with hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while Ilia Gruev and Daniel James will undergo late fitness tests. James picked up his back problem during the warm-up before last weekend’s draw with Brighton.
Gabriel Gudmundsson completed the full 90 minutes against Brighton & Hove Albion after recovering from a hamstring problem, but Daniel Farke could opt for a change at left wing-back. James Justin and new signing Melvin Bard are both candidates to start.
Leeds could also hand competitive debuts to new arrivals Michael Zetterer and Jean-Matteo Bahoya. Meanwhile, Jaka Bijol, Harry Wilson, Brenden Aaronson, and Lukas Nmecha are all pushing for recalls as Farke weighs up rotation.
The visitors are expected to use a 3-4-3 formation, with James Trafford as the goalkeeper, with Nico Elvedi, Jaka Bijol and Tarik Muharemovic forming the back three. Jayden Bogle and James Justin should operate as wing-backs, with Ethan Ampadu and Sean Longstaff providing the central midfield platform. Their ability to protect the back three will be particularly important against Chelsea’s technical attacking players.
Further forward, Brenden Aaronson and Harry Wilson should support Lukas Nmecha. Aaronson’s movement between the lines could be valuable against Chelsea’s expected 3-4-2-1, while Wilson provides another creative outlet from the right. Leeds United’s recent record suggests they should not be intimidated by the occasion.
They have lost just two of their last 16 competitive matches, while their recent meetings with Chelsea have produced a win and a draw before their narrow FA Cup semi-final defeat last season. Farke’s priority will be maintaining the defensive organisation that has helped Leeds begin the new Premier League campaign unbeaten. With the Blues likely to rotate, Leeds will see this as a genuine opportunity to reach the fourth round.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Trafford: Elvedi, Bijol, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu, Longstaff, Justin; Aaronson, Nmecha, Wilson
Key Stats
- Chelsea have won all three of their previous EFL Cup meetings with Leeds, including a 5-1 victory at Elland Road in the 2012 quarter-final.
- Chelsea have lost just once at the third-round stage in the last 15 years, with Manchester City eliminating them 2-0 in 2022/23.
- Leeds United are unbeaten in their last 16 competitive matches, recording eight wins and six draws during that run.
- Chelsea have already beaten Leeds 1-0 in the FA Cup this year, winning their semi-final at Wembley in April. The two sides also drew 2-2 at Stamford Bridge earlier in the Premier League campaign.
- Chelsea have started the EFL Cup with a 2-0 home victory over Luton Town, controlling 66% possession in that second-round tie.
Player to Watch
Cole Palmer
The England international has already made an impact this season, registering two Premier League goals and one assist. Palmer’s creativity between the lines could be particularly important against a Leeds side that has started the season unbeaten. His ability to receive possession in advanced areas, combine with the forwards and create chances can provide Chelsea with a way through a disciplined Leeds defence.
He is also expected to retain his place despite Xabi Alonso rotating several positions around him. That gives Chelsea a proven creative outlet while players such as Estevao Willian and Danny Welbeck get an opportunity to impress. Palmer has already scored against Fulham and Brighton this season, and his presence could be decisive if Chelsea find themselves struggling to break Leeds down.
With Chelsea coming off a defeat to Arsenal and Leeds unbeaten in their opening four matches, Palmer has the opportunity to lead the Blues’ response and help them maintain their excellent record at this stage of the competition.
Prediction
Chelsea 2-1 Leeds United
Leeds United have enough quality and confidence to make this a difficult evening for Chelsea, particularly given their unbeaten start and recent success in this fixture. However, Stamford Bridge provides a significant advantage, while the home side’s squad depth should allow Alonso to rotate without dramatically reducing the team’s quality. The Blues’ superior individual talent should eventually tell, although Leeds could make them work for progression.
