Leeds United will lock horns again with one of their most bitter rivals this weekend when they make the trip down to west London to face Chelsea.
The two sides have met just once in a League Cup tie since Leeds' Premier League stay ended with a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in May 2004, with matches like this the kind that Leeds fans missed the most during their 16-year absence from the top flight.
While Leeds go into the clash on the back of an excellent win over Everton, the Blues are on a 15-match unbeaten run and will provide Marcelo Bielsa's side with one of the toughest tests of the campaign.
Bielsa was able to put out a very strong XI at Goodison Park, so the obvious question regarding his Chelsea team selection is whether or not he goes with the same again?
Back-to-back clean sheets should mean the defence picks itself, with Luke Ayling, Robin Koch, Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas in front of Illan Meslier, who drew yet more plaudits at Goodison Park.
Leeds' recent defensive improvement has coincided with the return of Kalvin Phillips, who perhaps played one of the best matches of his career last week. He remains one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Mateusz Klich is another certain starter, as are Raphinha, Jack Harrison and Patrick Bamford.
That leaves one position open for debate and that's whether Bielsa sticks with Gjanni Alioski or reshuffles slightly and puts Rodrigo in again.
Leeds' record signing is yet to start for Bielsa's first-team since his return following a positive Covid-19 test, with the Whites head coach indicating that he needs more minutes to get back to full-match speed.
While it would no doubt be tempting for Bielsa to include the experienced Spain forward in such a high-profile game, history tells us that Bielsa remains fiercely loyal to a winning side and may value Alioski's industry in a match that will see Leeds take on one of the few sides that have completed more passes than they have in the Premier League this season.
With that in mind, it would be no surprise to see Leeds go unchanged this weekend.
Predicted XI: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas; Phillips, Alioski, Klich, Harrison, Raphinha; Bamford
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