Chelsea vs Leeds United
Leeds United will aim for two road wins in a row as they visit Chelsea over at Stamford Bridge this upcoming Saturday evening.
The Whites have improved to 14th place with 12 points as they are fresh from a win against Everton in the last time out and they are planning to play spoilers for Chelsea, who are making run at the top spot of the Premier League table since they are within striking distance.
The hosts not only won against Sevilla last Wednesday night, but they also managed to secure the top spot in Group E of the Champions League.
Chelsea are currently at third in the English top-flight with 19 points, so this game will be big for them.
The Premier League 2020 odds heavily back the hosts to win since they have the better roster on paper.
Frank Lampard’s men are priced to win at 1.53, while Leeds United are at 5.60 and chances for a draw are at 4.20.
But if there’s anything we’ve learned already at this point of the season, it is that the opponents would be foolish to take the Whites lightly.
Leeds United have already come this far, and Marcelo Bielsa will surely do everything he can to motivate his boys in order to give themselves a fighting chance every match.
Read on below as SBOTOP offers a preview for this exciting match ahead.
Talking Points
Chelsea look invincible
The Blues are gelling at the right time. And if they can keep this up, they might make run for this year’s Premier League trophy.
They are unbeaten in the last 15 games and they are not showing signs of slowing down as Frank Lampard has done well in churning out significant production from his wards.
While their attack has been getting much of the fanfare, Chelsea’s success has really been at the defencive end where their new signings in Thiago Silva and Edouard Mendy have been leading the way.
Since replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga between the sticks, Edouard Mendy has tallied nine clean sheets in 12 games. Meanwhile, Thiago Silva’s leadership has helped the development of Reece James, Andreas Christensen, Kurt Zouma, and Ben Chilwell.
Their midfield is also a strong point for them as N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, and Mateo Kovacic have been rock solid.
And with the likes of Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, and Timo Werner leading out front, Chelsea are going to be a handful for all of their opponents.
Who will show up for Leeds United?
Head coach Marcelo Bielsa has done a masterful job in managing his players as he seems to find the right combination in almost every fixture.
With a rotation comprising of players that can contribute right away, Marcelo Bielsa has options since he can mix and match his starting XI lineup depending on their upcoming opponents.
Their summer signings in Robin Koch, Raphinha, and Rodrigo Moreno have paid dividends, while their mainstays in Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper, and Kalvin Phillips continue to play big as well.
For the most part, Marcelo Bielsa has shown reluctance in giving his newer players significant playing time right away, as he would prefer to integrate them slowly but surely.
However, the seasoned manager decided to buck the trend as he would finally include Raphinha in the starting XI after 10 games.
The Brazilian paid off his trust by scoring the Whites’ marginal goal against Everton, along with some notable Premier League 2020 highlights.
More importantly, he has given Bielsa something to think about for the long-term as he plays with searing pace and precision in the attacking midfield.
Bielsa will have a tough time to choose as he also has the likes of Ezgjan Alioski, Mateusz Klich, and Helder Costa that can play a similar role.
Regardless of who he puts out there, Marcelo Bielsa is sure to have something up his sleeve as the Whites will try to go as far as they can this term.
History
Since this is Leeds United’s first season back in top-flight, they haven’t had much encounters with Chelsea. So far, they have only locked horns in 12 occasions.
The Blues own the advantage in the overall head-to-heads with six wins, while the Whites have tallied three wins along with three draws.
These two proud sides last met in 2012 where Frank Lampard was still a midfielder for Chelsea, and the Blues came away with a comprehensive 5-1 victory.
Low scoring affairs have been the usual trend based on their small sample size, and it’s safe to expect the same turnout this weekend.
But one thing’s for sure is that regardless of the final score, Leeds United and Chelsea will give football fans an action-packed affair this weekend.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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