Leeds United welcome Chelsea to Elland Road on Wednesday night for a high-stakes Premier League encounter under the lights.
Daniel Farke’s men are in the midst of a relegation scrap, sitting 18th in the table after a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday. However, they showed fight with a spirited second-half comeback. They face a Chelsea side that sits third, five points off the summit, after battling to a 1-1 draw with league leaders Arsenal in a tense London derby.
Leeds United vs Chelsea – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Wednesday, 3 December 2025
- Kick-off: 8:15 pm GMT
- Venue: Elland Road, Leeds
- Referee: Darren England
- VAR: Paul Howard
- Last Meeting: Chelsea 3-2 Leeds United, 28 February 2024, FA Cup
Team News
Leeds United
Daniel Farke has confirmed that Daniel James (hamstring) faces at least two months on the sidelines, while Sean Longstaff (calf) is ruled out for the rest of the year. Sebastiaan Bornauw (knee) remains a doubt, but Anton Stach is fully fit and available after recovering from a concussion. Goalkeeper Karl Darlow has also returned to training. Lukas Nmecha is expected to retain his place in attack alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin after finding the net in consecutive matches.
Chelsea
Enzo Maresca is set to recall Cole Palmer to the starting lineup for Chelsea’s clash with Leeds United, confirming the playmaker is ready to play significant minutes. However, the Blues will be without the suspended Moises Caicedo after his red card against Arsenal. Captain Reece James is expected to drop to the bench as part of his load management, while Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo remain out with thigh injuries. Levi Colwill continues his long-term recovery from a knee injury.
Form
Leeds United
The Whites are in freefall, having lost four of their last five Premier League matches. Their defensive frailty has been their undoing; they have conceded 25 goals this season, the second-worst record in the division. Despite this, Elland Road remains their best hope for points. In fact, their last win over Chelsea was a 3-0 triumph at this ground in 2022.
Chelsea
The Blues are enjoying a strong campaign under Maresca. They have lost just one of their last 12 matches in all competitions. Crucially, their away form has been impressive, with four wins from their last five games on the road. They arrive in Yorkshire unbeaten in their last seven league games, looking to keep pressure on the top two.
Predicted Lineups
Leeds United predicted XI: Perri; Rodon, Struijk, Bijol; Bogle, Gruev, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha
Chelsea predicted XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella; Santos, Fernandez; Palmer, Pedro, Neto; Delap
How to watch Leeds United vs Chelsea?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. Coverage starts at 8:00 pm GMT.
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