Chelsea-Leeds is a match valid for the 26th day of the Premier League and is played on Saturday at 16:00: TV, formations, predictions.
The situation at home to Chelsea is becoming paradoxical. The Blues are still without a win since the end of the transfer market, in which the owners spent over 300 million to strengthen Graham Potter’s squad. To date, however, no improvement has been seen, quite the contrary. The London club continues to sink and shows no signs of recovery. And not surprisingly, the former Brighton coach’s position is no longer as firm as before.
According to rumours from England, the next two games will be decisive. Against Leeds and Borussia Dortmund Potter is playing for everything. A victory with the Whites in the Premier League is a must, but a team of Chelsea’s calibre is also expected to make a comeback at Stamford Bridge in the return match against the Gialloneri, who prevailed 1-0 in Germany in the first leg. Havertz and his team-mates’ last success, as we said, dates back to 15 January: the 1-0 derby win over Crystal Palace remains the only joy of 2023 for a Chelsea too ugly to be true. After three draws in a row in the league (Liverpool, Fulham and West Ham) came three defeats in a row. And the common denominator is the Blues’ offensive problems, who have barely scored a goal in their last six games. The fans, meanwhile, are clamouring for the coach’s head already after the 2-0 defeat a week ago in the away match against Tottenham.
Chelsea no longer score
Beating Spurs represented perhaps the last chance to move closer to a Champions League spot that day by day becomes more and more distant. Chelsea have one match less than Tottenham but are -14 from the team coached by the former Conte.
Ayling
Leeds, on the other hand, have one point more than third-last-placed Everton but it certainly cannot be enough to ward off a relegation danger that is still very real. Positive, in any case, the debut of the Spanish coach Javi Gracia, who took over a few weeks after Jesse Marsch’s dismissal. Last Saturday the Whites won the direct clash with Southampton, beaten 1-0 at Elland Road by a goal of Junior Firpo. Less well in the midweek FA Cup match: Leeds lost 2-0 at home to Fulham but it is certainly not the domestic cup that is now the first thought of the former Valencia coach.
The Prediction
Back to the wall, Potter should be able to save his bench against one of the three teams with the fewest away points along with West Ham and Nottingham Forest. This Chelsea side does not give guarantees, it is true, but you can bet on them to win in a match that will certainly not be spectacular, between two teams both struggling with offensive problems. The total goals could be less than three.
Chelsea-Leeds line-up probables
- CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Kepa; James, W. Fofana, Badiashile, Chilwell; Enzo Fernandez, Zakaria; Madueke, Joao Felix, Sterling; Havertz.
- LEEDS (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Wober, Junior Firpo; Adams, McKennie; Harrison, Aaronson, Gnonto; Bamford.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-0
