A historic rivalry is rekindled on Wednesday night as Leeds United welcome an in-form Chelsea to Elland Road.
Leeds may be 196 miles away from the capital, but these two clubs’ mutual hatred for one another has little to do with geography. It’s purely competitive, with some of their tussles in the 1960s and 70s among the most infamous in English football history.
The pair have seldom competed at the summit together since the Don Revie and Tommy Docherty eras drew to their respective conclusions, but there are generations of supporters who continue to feel the animosity keenly.
The Blues make the trip north in the week, having fought hard for a 1–1 draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday. Before that, Enzo Maresca’s side produced a coming-of-age display to beat Barcelona 3–0 in the Champions League.
The mood isn’t quite as rosy in West Yorkshire, with Leeds losing four games in a row and currently sitting 18th in the league table. Daniel Farke sack talk has resurfaced—this match potentially crucial to his future—but the German did at least receive some encouragement from his side’s second-half performance at Manchester City on Saturday.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the match.
What Time Does Leeds vs. Chelsea Kick-Off?
- Location: Leeds, England
- Stadium: Elland Road
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 3
- Kick-Off Time: 8.15 p.m. GMT / 3.15 p.m. ET / 12.15 p.m. PT
- Referee: Darren England
- VAR: Paul Howard
Leeds vs. Chelsea Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Leeds: 1 win
- Chelsea: 4 wins
- Draws: 0
- Last meeting: Chelsea 3–2 Leeds (Feb. 28, 2024)—FA Cup
Current Form (All Competitions)
| Leeds | Chelsea |
|---|---|
| Man City 3–2 Leeds - 29/11/25 | Chelsea 1–1 Arsenal - 30/11/25 |
| Leeds 1–2 Aston Villa - 23/11/25 | Chelsea 3–0 Barcelona - 25/11/25 |
| Nottingham Forest 3–1 Leeds - 09/11/25 | Burnley 0–2 Chelsea - 22/11/25 |
| Brighton 3–0 Leeds - 01/11/25 | Chelsea 3–0 Wolves - 08/11/25 |
| Leeds 2–1 West Ham - 24/10/25 | Qarabağ 2–2 Chelsea - 05/11/25 |
How to Watch Leeds vs. Chelsea on TV
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United States | Peacock |
| United Kingdom | Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Sports Premier League |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network 2 Canada |
| Mexico | Caliente TV, FOX One |
Leeds Team News
Leeds were without starting midfielders Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff at the Etihad, with the latter likely to miss the rest of the year with a calf injury. Stach is dealing with a concussion, and the quick turnaround may rule him out of Wednesday’s game, too.
Daniel James has endured an injury-hit season so far, and he tweaked his hamstring at the weekend. There are fears the winger could be set for a prolonged period out.
James Justin also picked up a knock at Man City and is a doubt for Chelsea’s visit, but forgotten signing Sebastiaan Bornauw could be welcomed into the fold.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin will surely start after his game-changing cameo in Manchester.
Leeds Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
Leeds predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (3-5-2): Perri; Rodon, Struijk, Bijol; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gruev, Gudmundsson; Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin.
Chelsea Team News
Moisés Caicedo’s sending off on Sunday means he’ll serve a three-game suspension, starting on Wednesday night. Maresca has also confirmed that Reece James is unlikely to start after his standout showing against the Gunners.
That means the visitors will wheel out a new-look midfield at Elland Road. Andrey Santos was described as “ready” by the Chelsea boss ahead of the game, and Maresca also suggested that Josh Acheampong is a contender to start in a No. 6 position.
With Dário Essugo and Roméo Lavia missing, we could see Acheampong start alongside Santos, or Enzo Fernández will drop into a deeper position.
Cole Palmer was back in the matchday squad at the weekend but didn’t take to the field after Chelsea were reduced to 10. He’ll hope to get minutes under his belt here.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds
Chelsea predicted lineup vs. Leeds (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Santos, Fernández; Neto, Pedro, Garnacho; Delap.
Leeds vs. Chelsea Score Prediction
Farke ditched an intricate approach for something far more primitive at Man City, but it worked a treat after a dismal first half. The hosts must lean on the physicality of their side, and because they’re without two of their most imposing midfielders, a switch to a 3-5-2, which worked wonders at the Etihad, makes sense here.
They’ve got to play over Chelsea’s press and give their front two a chance of winning first and second balls. The Blues are entering this contest on the back of an excellent week, and there’s scope for Leeds to stun them somewhat here.
Maresca will be forced into midfield changes, but Palmer is ready to go again. This may be a slog for the impressive visitors, but they must win these sorts of games if they’re to sustain a title challenge.
Prediction: Leeds 1–2 Chelsea
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Leeds vs. Chelsea: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
