Chelsea FC have only taken two of the last nine points available to them in the Premier League, and due to this run of pedestrian form, they still haven’t locked up a top four slot. Arsenal are hot on their heels to potentially usurp them in third.
The second half has been brutal for the Blues, who looked like league title front-runners back in the fall. Now they take on a Leeds United side that also has some urgency, with The Whites now having fallen back into the drop zone.
Leeds United vs Chelsea FYIs
Kick-off time: 7:30PM GMT, 11th May 2022, Elland Road
After Extra Time Podcast: Spotify Apple Podcasts
Chelsea XI Prediction: go here
Google Result Probability: Leeds United 20% Chelsea FC 58% Draw 22%
PL Position: Leeds United 18th, 34pts Chelsea FC 3rd, 67pts
PL Form Guide: Leeds United LLDWD Chelsea FC DLDWL
Let’s take a look at who might be unavailable for the southwest London club in this fixture that has ramifications at both ends of the Premier League table.
Blues Team News
Midfield maestro N’Golo Kante could return here, but most likely he won’t be risked as the FA Cup final approaches.
Meanwhile another holding midfielder, Jorginho, will be out for “some games,” according to Thomas Tuchel.
Two Chelsea players who will be out of commission are Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ben Chilwell. Expect the latter to be a major part of the plan next season.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.