Chelsea welcome Leeds United to Stamford Bridge on Saturday as Graham Potter’s men remain desperate for a league win to bring an end to their woeful run of form.
The Blues endured a forgettable month of February and the upcoming two fixtures – the home outing in the Premier League against Leeds and the Champions League Last 16 second leg tie against Dortmund, could well turn out to be the games that will dictate Graham Potter’s future in the dugout.
Potter has come under immense pressure following Chelsea’s horrid results of late and amid speculation that the Chelsea board are on the lookout for a new head coach to take over from the former should the club’s form fail to change for the better, the 47-year-old will be counting on his players to deliver sooner rather than later.
Chelsea are 14 points adrift of the fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur in fourth with a game in hand following the 2-0 defeat to the North Londoners last time out in the derby and the supporter’s patience is running thin as they await a turnaround of fortunes at the Bridge.
Leeds United, meanwhile, head into Saturday’s contest in the English capital sitting just one point clear of the drop zone in 17th and their last outing came in the 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup fifth round to Fulham.
The trip to SW6 is the first league game on the road for the new Leeds boss Javi Gracia who started his managerial reign at Elland Road with a 1-0 home win over Southampton last weekend before the upset to Fulham in cup action.
WHEN & WHERE?
Date: Saturday 4 March 2023
Time: 2 PM GMT
Venue: Stamford Bridge
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea’s veteran defender Thiago Silva, who has been one of the few men in the Blues shirt impressing out on the pitch, could be in line for a six-week long spell on the sidelines after sustaining knee ligament damage in the defeat at Spurs.
Silva joins Edouard Mendy, Armando Broja and Christian Pulisic on the recovery table but expected to stage a return to the squad could be the French midfielder N’Golo Kante.
Skipper Cesar Azpilicueta’s fitness levels will be subject to a late call by the medical team with the defender’s concussion making an injury concern for Graham Potter’s side.
Reece James could be seen dropping down the bench after Potter admitted that the English wing-back cannot play the full 90 minutes week in and week out, which opens the door for either Azpilicueta or Trevoh Chalobah to slot in the right wing-back role.
KEY BATTLE
Joao Felix vs Tyler Adams
Felix remains one of the few new faces who came through the Stamford Bridge door this January and has since impressed with his displays in the attacking third of the pitch.
With goals drying up for the struggling Blues in recent weeks, the on-loan Portuguese forward would be expected to trouble an ailing Leeds backline and help his side to the three points.
Leeds midfielder Tyler Adams had been an influential presence on the team sheet for the Yorkshire outfit and he could play a big part in his side’s hopes of causing a major upset on their travels to the Bridge this weekend.
MATCH PREDICTION
Both teams have looked far from encouraging in their recent showings and we predict a draw is on the cards.
Chelsea 1-1 Leeds United
