Predicted Leeds United XI to face Chelsea: Six changes as Daniel Farke starts Melvin Bard | OneFootball

Leeds United head to Chelsea on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup third round, with Daniel Farke eyeing payback for last season’s Wembley heartbreak and multiple changes under consideration.

Leeds lost last April’s FA Cup semi-final 1-0, Enzo Fernandez deciding it after they had taken four league points off Chelsea. Farke’s only victory against them was 3-1 at Elland Road, and his side also lost 3-2 to Mauricio Pochettino’s team in 2024.

This is Farke’s fifth Chelsea meeting as Leeds manager and a fifth different counterpart, one he also faced twice while at Gladbach during Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen spell. Team news is largely positive, though Joe Rodon is out until November and Dan James is a doubt despite a positive scan. With caution over James after last season’s lay-off, the rest of the squad has the green light and changes are likely.

Debuts could go to back-up keeper Michael Zetterer, Melvin Bard and Jean-Matteo Bahoya after they went unused at Brighton. Harry Wilson is in contention to return. Jaka Bijol could replace Nico Elvedi, Sean Longstaff is likely to feature, and Lukas Nmecha may start to keep Dominic Calvert-Lewin fresh, having scored at Stamford Bridge last time.

Gabi Gudmundsson played 90 minutes on Saturday after a long lay-off and could be rested, with new signing Bard tipped to start on the left. Six changes are predicted, with Bijol, Bard, Longstaff, Wilson, Aaronson and Nmecha coming in. Elvedi, Gudmundsson, Stach, Tanaka, Okafor and Calvert-Lewin would make way.

Predicted XI: James Trafford, James Justin, Jaka Bijol, Tarik Muharemovic, Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu, Sean Longstaff, Harry Wilson, Melvin Bard, Brenden Aaronson, Lukas Nmecha.

Source: Leedsunited.news

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