A historic rivalry is rekindled on Wednesday night as Leeds United welcome an in-form Chelsea to Elland Road.
Leeds may be 196 miles away from the capital, but these two clubs’ mutual hatred for one another has little to do with geography. It’s purely competitive, with some of their tussles in the 1960s and 70s among the most infamous in English football history.
The pair have seldom competed at the summit together since the Don Revie and Tommy Docherty eras drew to their respective conclusions, but there are generations of supporters who continue to feel the animosity keenly.
The Blues make the trip north in the week, having fought hard for a 1–1 draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday. Before that, Enzo Maresca’s side produced a coming-of-age display to beat Barcelona 3–0 in the Champions League.
The mood isn’t quite as rosy in West Yorkshire, with Leeds losing four games in a row and currently sitting 18th in the league table. Daniel Farke sack talk has resurfaced—this match potentially crucial to his future—but the German did at least receive some encouragement from his side’s second-half performance at Manchester City on Saturday.
Here is guide to the match.
