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Leeds United vs. Chelsea, Premier League: Live blog; highlights

First visit to Elland Road for a league match in over 17 years

Leeds United v Burnley - Premier League - Elland Road Photo by Nigel French/PA Images via Getty Images

LIVE BLOG

FULL TIME: Scoreless.

90+3min: CHO and James cannot quite combine and Leeds have a goal kick.

90+1min: James crosses low, but Werner’s shot is blocked by Struijk. Chelsea can’t make the corner count.

90min: Strong defending from Christensen on Raphinha wins a goal kick. 3 minutes added on.

86min: James goes for a jaunt through the middle, winning a free kick. Chelsea take it short, quickly, getting Hudson-Odoi on the ball. He gets into the area and finds his shot, but it’s straight at Meslier, who makes the save and holds on.

85min: The teams trade offsides.

80min: Chilwell tries to find Werner, but they’re not on the same page and Leeds can run the ball clear. Kanté then tries to find Hudson-Odoi with a first-time ball off an interception, but it’s just out of the youngster’s reach, who might have been offside anyway.

79min: Leeds sub the sub, as Klich replaces Rodrigo, while Hudson-Odoi comes on for Mount.

77min: Chilwell loses the ball, claiming a foul, but no call. Chelsea scramble back to defend the counter, eventually clearing for a corner. Chelsea just able to clear, with Llorente taking a shot from the top of the box, which is deflected over by James. James clears the next corner as well, this time at the front post. Leeds’ third corner finds Rodrigo for a free header, which is fortunately hit close enough to Mendy for him to grab.

74min: Rodrigo’s booked for chopping down Christensen, who had tried to step into midfield with the ball. Alioski also gets a talking-to, presumably for a bit of backchat.

72min: Rüdiger goes for a 25-yard piledriver, which Meslier saves well enough, without giving up a dangerous rebound.

71min: Alioski slides in and takes out Werner near the halfway line. Yellow card for the Leeds man.

70min: Christensen covers well after Jorginho gets turned on the near touchline.

68min: As Ayling receives treatment, Werner and James come on for Pulisic and Ziyech. Chelsea switch to a more familiar 3-4-3.

67min: Ayling bowls Mount over in the center, and is called for a foul. But he plays on, and manages to hurt himself in the process.

66min: At the other end, Chelsea scramble to deal with a couple crosses, with Pulisic making a strong play on Raphinha to prevent a shot. Chelsea clear the corner without too much trouble.

65min: Mount looks early for Havertz, but the pass is just a bit too heavy.

64min: Harrison off for Leeds, Costa on as the new right winger.

63min: Pulisic tries his luck from 20 yards. Blocked.

62min: Kanté wins the ball high and plays to Havertz, who rolls it square to Mount. He lets it run through to an onrushing Chilwell, but he gets his shot all wrong with a defender breathing down his back.

61min: Chilwell puts one in from the left, low, but is flagged for offside.

60min: Leeds attack quickly at the other end. Azpi just able to defend 1-v-1 against Raphinha, but Pulisic commits a foul as he tracks back. Rüdiger clears the free kick for a corner with an excellent header. Leeds find an open man at the top of the box from the corner, but Kanté blocks the shot and clears.

59min: Mount whips a great ball across, which Pulisic collects. He creates a bit of space to shoot, but the angle is tight and the goalkeeper’s down well to save at his near post.

58min: Chelsea pass it around very well, before Mount gets bundles over. Chelsea opt for a quick free kick, which Leeds are quite alert to and are able to defend with ease.

55min: At the other end, Chelsea all at see as Leeds cross from the left. Raphinha twists and turns and shoots, but Mendy able to get a big hand to it. Chelsea defend a couple subsequent corners well enough, with Pulisic and Kanté making clearances before Mendy lets a cross go out for a goal kick.

53min: Chilwell crosses well, but no one there to take advantage as Meslier flaps at it. Chelsea collect on the far side, with Ziyech whipping in a classic inside out ball. Havertz can’t quite win it. Chelsea win the ball back quickly and play Kanté in. He’s a bit too wide and opts to put a ball back across, which Leeds clear.

51min: Mount loses the ball in midfield, but Azpi makes a good interception and tries to start a counter. But Ziyech checks back and Chelsea opt to keep possession for a bit. Eventually, Pulisic loses out to Alioski, claiming a foul but finding no sympathy from the referee.

48min: Chelsea play to Havertz and suddenly the seas part in front of him and he’s in with a great chance. He takes perhaps one touch too many but it’s still a prime shooting opportunity. But he hammers his shot straight at the goalkeeper who sticks an arm up and blocks for a corner, which Chelsea can’t make count.

46min: Raphinha looks to be behind on the right, but Chelsea recover well with Rüdiger and Kanté stopping the tricky winger and preventing a shot. He probably was offside anyway on the initial run.

SECOND HALF: No changes for either side as Chelsea restart proceedings.


HALF TIME: Somehow, the game is still scoreless.

45+1min: Chelsea with a bit of space to attack as Kanté brings it forward, playing wide to Ziyech. He comes inside and chips in for Havertz. He finds the ball, turns, and shoots, but the angle is against him and Meslier makes the save.

44min: Leeds have a corner as Kanté blocks a deep cross. Outswinger is way deep and Kanté puts it out for a throw on the other side.

42min: Ziyech wins a foul off Alioski wide right, in good crossing position. Mount swings it in, Meslier claws it away. Chelsea collect and play it wide to Chilwell, who puts in a decent cross that is well claimed by Meslier ahead of an arriving Rüdiger.

39min: Mount goes for goal from 30 yards. It’s a swerving low effort, but Meslier’s down to parry and not give up much of a rebound, which he grabs quickly.

37min: Mount finds Ziyech with a glorious switch, but he can’t cut inside a covering Phillips, who clears for a corner. Mount gets this one right in terms of depth, as it’s flicked on at the near post, before bouncing off Rüdiger and straight into the hands of Meslier.

35min: And Bamford’s day is over, with Rodrigo on to replace him.

33min: Chilwell finds himself in space to shoot just outside the box. Doesn’t miss by much, but it’s taken a nick on the way and Chelsea have a corner. Mount takes this one, but this one’s overhit as well.

32min: Bamford hobbles off very gingerly after a spot of treatment. It looks like he will try to continue, but he’s still limping noticeably.

30min: Chelsea kick the ball out as Bamford appears to have hurt himself.

28min: Kanté finds a loose ball in the middle, turns and takes the space afforded to him, eventually taking a shot that deflects high and wide for a corner. Chelsea can’t make it count as Ziyech’s delivery is over everyone.

24min: Reverse ball releases Chilwell, but he delays his cross with Pulisic making a great run. Eventually, Chilwell does cross it in, but Pulisic can only graze it with his head to guide it harmlessly across the box and out.

23min: Roberts first into the book for bowling over Jorginho, then trodding on the back of his knee.

22min: Long ball over the top leads to Pulisic putting another ball across, to no one. Was offside anyway, once the flag went up an hour later.

21min: Another big header by Rüdiger, diving low across Bamford as Leeds threaten yet again.

20min: Rüdiger with a crucial header as Dallas whips in a ball looking for Bamford.

19min: Chelsea build on the right, but Ziyech settles for a long shot, which is blocked. Kanté can’t collect the loose ball and Leeds can counter. Raphinha gets past Jorginho easily, but his ball in is behind Roberts and Azpi can head safely home.

15min: Christensen’s giveaway leads to a chipped effort from Roberts from the top of the box. Mendy backpedals and gets a fingertip to it, which is just enough to push it onto the bar and out. Great save!

14min: Havertz goes for a jaunt and finds Ziyech, who again plays in Pulisic. He puts another great ball across. It misses Havertz at the near post; Meslier gets a hand to it, but no one’s there from Chelsea at the far post for the easy tap-in.

10min: Chelsea with some slick passing through the middle, with Ziyech almost picking out Pulisic. Ayling’s there to clear, but smashes his clearance into Llorente. The ricochet loops up and over the goalkeeper and hits the crossbar! Chelsea almost super lucky.

7min: Jorginho pinches the ball and Mount picks it up, playing wide to Ziyech, who knocks it on to Pulisic. He takes on his man and puts a ball across, which Ayling clears but only onto the foot of Havertz. But the goalkeeper’s down quickly to prevent the ricochet from ending up in the back of the net. Leeds quickly turn defense into attack, and find a great ball over the top of Bamford. He’s in 2-v-1 and lays it across for Roberts to finish, but Bamford’s called off on the run. Wasn’t by much!

5min: Chelsea with some decent passing under strong pressure. Certainly looks more of a 4-2-3-1 than a back-three.

3min: Chelsea try a foray up the left flank, but Leeds swarm and win the ball back.

1min: Early Leeds attack, repelled, but Phillips appears to pick up a knock in a coming-together with Mount. Phillips moving a bit gingerly.

KICK-OFF: The players are out, Chelsea in all blue including the socks. Leeds in all white. The players take a knee, and then the home side get us underway.


Rivalry resumed, though it doesn’t quite have the same effect as if there were fans in the stands. Still, Chelsea need these three points to keep up our top-four prospects. In fact, we would even move into third with a win, at leas temporarily.

Chelsea have had a couple extra days off, but have a massive Champions League second leg match coming up against Atlético on Wednesday, and to that effect, Tuchel has once again shuffled his deck a bit, including a start for Christian Pulisic in the league ... at wing-back? (Unless we’re switching to a back-four? Tuchel keeping us guessing again!)

Here we go!


Leeds United starting lineup (4-1-4-1):
Meslier | Alioski, Llorente, Struijk, Ayling | Phillips | Harrison, Dallas, Roberts, Raphinha | Bamford

Substitutes from: Casilla, Koch, Berardi, Shackleton, Klich, Costa, Jenkins, Poveda,Rodrigo

Chelsea starting lineup (4-2-3-1):
Mendy | Chilwell, Rüdiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta (c) | Kanté, Jorginho | Mount, Ziyech, Pulisic | Havertz

Substitutes from: Arrizabalaga, James, Zouma, Emerson, Alonso, Kovačić, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Giroud


Date / Time: Saturday, March 13, 2021, 12.30 GMT; 7:30am EST; 6pm IST
Venue: Elland Road, Leeds, England
Referee: Kevin Friend (on pitch); Stuart Attwell (VAR)

On TV: BT Sport 1 (UK); NBCSN, Universo (USA); Star Sports Select HD1 (India); SuperSport Premier League, Canal+ Sport 3 (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: BT Sport Live (UK); NBC Sports Live, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (USA); Hotstar (India); DStv Now (NGA)


Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!

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