Leeds United travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday for a Carabao Cup third-round tie three days after a 1-1 draw at Brighton, with Daniel Farke set to freshen things up. Here is our Leeds United predicted XI for Chelsea.
The Leeds United predicted XI in full
Trafford; Justin, Bijol, Elvedi, Bard; Ampadu, Tanaka; Bahoya, Aaronson, Wilson; Nmecha.
The headline is a double debut. Melvin Bard and Jean-Matteo Bahoya both sat on the bench at the Amex without getting on, and a midweek cup tie is the obvious window for deadline-day signings to get their first minutes in white. Bard comes in at left-back for Gabriel Gudmundsson, who played 90 minutes on Saturday on his return from a muscle injury and does not need a quick turnaround.
The injury caution and the Calvert-Lewin decision
Joe Rodon is a long-term absentee with a hamstring problem, so Jaka Bijol and Nico Elvedi continue in the middle, with James Justin coming in for Jayden Bogle at right-back. Daniel James faces a late fitness test after reporting back and hamstring issues in the Brighton warm-up — Farke was “carefully optimistic” but there is no case for risking him here, as our Daniel James injury update explains.
Up front, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has carried the load through the opening month — scoring against Brentford and going close at Brighton — and looks the likeliest to make way, with Lukas Nmecha given a run from the start. Ethan Ampadu keeps the armband alongside Ao Tanaka, leaving Sean Longstaff, Anton Stach and the possible return of Ilia Gruev as options from the bench.
Xabi Alonso, meanwhile, has Levi Colwill back available, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, though Moises Caicedo, Marco Palestra, Jordan Henderson and Emmanuel Emegha all miss out. Full Leeds United team news for Chelsea here.
