Prediction: Chelsea vs Leeds

Prediction: Chelsea win

Best Odds: 4/15

Bookmaker: 888sport

The December schedule is in full swing as clubs up and down the Premier League prepare for a season of joy, anxiety and unpredictability. It’s the most wonderful time of the year for football fans with games coming at us from every single direction, and that theme is going to continue this weekend – with one of the featured showdowns pitting old enemies Chelsea against Leeds United at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea

Thomas Tuchel knows and understands the value of momentum at the elite level and at this particular moment in time, Chelsea don’t have a lot of it. Sure, they have a squad littered with fantastic talent, but that isn’t going to be enough if they can’t push towards a positive end to 2021. They’re somewhat on the ropes and it’ll be interesting to see how they’re able to bounce back between now and January.

Team News

Jorginho is hopeful that he’ll be able to return from a back problem with Loftus-Cheek now set to miss out after sustaining an injury in the Zenit warm-up. Elsewhere, the list of confirmed injuries goes as follows: Kovacic, Kante, Chilwell and Chalobah.

Leeds

Leeds United have looked like relegation candidates throughout most of the campaign thus far and we don’t think that’s unfair to say, but the last couple of weeks have provided cause for hope and optimism. Marcelo Bielsa doesn’t want to go down without a fight and he certainly doesn’t want to fall victim to second season syndrome, which is what makes their journey so fascinating.

Team News

Struijk, Bamford and Cooper are all viewed as fitness doubts with Koch and Phillips being the only players in the squad who are confirmed to miss out through injury.

Factors to Consider

• Chelsea are 3rd in the Premier League whereas Leeds are 15th.
• Chelsea have won three, drawn two and lost one of their last six games.
• Leeds have won two, drawn three and lost one of their last six games.
• Chelsea have scored 15 goals and conceded eight in their last six games.
• Leeds have scored seven goals and conceded six in their last six games.

Conclusion

Leeds could easily take some notes from their recent results and perhaps approach this in a more conservative manner, but they’d be doing a disservice to themselves and everything they’ve built up to this point. Chelsea are vulnerable after their last couple of games and Leeds should give them a bloody nose, but ultimately, it’ll be the Blues who just about come away with a nervy 1-0 win.

Prediction: Chelsea win

Best Odds: 4/15

Bookmaker: 888sport