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2026-09-09 - Chelsea vs Leeds United
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English League Cup Third Round
Wednesday 9th September 2026 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Chelsea
Fans questioned the wisdom of not bringing in one or two midfield reinforcements in the summer transfer window and that has been highlighted as a big reason Chelsea were beaten 2-1 at Champions Arsenal on Sunday. Despite that, Xabi Alonso has to be encouraged by what he has seen from his team already and can only expect Chelsea to get stronger the longer the first eleven play with one another.
This is a club that have become accustomed to winning a lot of silverware, but recent seasons have not quite been up to the standard of some of those that have come before. The Blues have not won a domestic trophy since the FA Cup in 2018, although Chelsea have been Runners Up three times in the League Cup beginning in 2019. Last season they reached the Semi Final in this competition and Chelsea have only been beaten before the Fourth Round of the League Cup once in the last fifteen seasons.
Chelsea opened the season with 3 wins in a row in all competitions and took the lead at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday before losing 2-1. The side are back at Stamford Bridge for the next two games and Chelsea have won 3 in a row here in all competitions, including beating Luton Town 2-0 here in the League Cup Second Round.
A mixed starting eleven was selected in the last Round by the new manager and he is likely going to make a few changes for this one. However, Xabi Alonso appreciates the importance of the domestic Cup competitions without any European Football and that may be underlined by the type of team picked.
Leeds United
Daniel Farke continues to help Leeds United pick up positive results in the Premier League and the fans are going to be excited about how far the manager can take this squad of players. The immediate goal will be consolidation in the Premier League, but Leeds United have been on an extended run of positive form and some supporters will feel European Football is attainable.
If Chelsea fans feel it has been a long time since they won a major piece of domestic silverware, it has been thirty-four years since Leeds United did that when winning the final Division One title the season before the Premier League begun. Cup success has been even longer with Leeds United last winning the FA Cup in 1972, while the one and only League Cup success was all the way back in 1968.
Leeds United have lost 1 of the last 8 games in all competitions since being beaten by Chelsea in the FA Cup Semi Final and they are unbeaten in the 2026/27 season. Back to back wins at Nottingham Forest opened the season, but Leeds United have since had to settle for consecutive 1-1 draws with Brentford and Brighton. Leeds United have lost 1 of the last 14 away games played in all competitions.
There was plenty of experience selected when Leeds United won 0-2 at the City Ground in the League Cup Second Round last month and Daniel Farke may choose a pretty strong team for this tie as well.
Head to Head
Leeds United took four points from Chelsea in the Premier League last season, but lost narrowly in the FA Cup Semi Final at Wembley Stadium.
The sole fixture at Stamford Bridge finished 2-2 after Leeds United fought back from 2-0 behind in February.
Chelsea had won 7 in a row at home against Leeds United in all competitions before that draw.
Prediction
Both of these clubs will have pretty big ambitions for the current season and the absence of European Football does allow both Xabi Alonso and Daniel Farke to place more stock in the Cup competitions.
With that said, both would have preferred Chelsea and Leeds United to have avoided one another in the League Cup Third Round having already won ties in this competition.
That is not to be and you do have to believe home advantage will be key for Chelsea, even if Leeds United have had twenty-four hours longer to prepare.
Xabi Alonso and Daniel Farke picked teams with enough experience to win League Cup ties last month and a similar approach may be taken here.
The FA Cup Semi Final between the teams was very competitive and Leeds United might have deserved more, but they were fortunate to leave Stamford Bridge with a League draw. Chelsea should have the superior depth to make changes and Alonso's new team have shown enough in the final third to believe they can edge past Leeds United in what looks like a potentially entertaining game.
The Pick :
Chelsea 2-1 Leeds United
