Head-to-head

This is the third time in four seasons we have drawn Leeds United in a cup competition, with the previous two meetings coming in the FA Cup.

We have faced each other in ten domestic cup ties and progressed from each one: three in the League Cup in 1969, 2001 and 2012, and seven in the FA Cup.

Chelsea are unbeaten at Stamford Bridge against Leeds United in nine games across all competitions, winning seven and drawing two.

Leeds last win at the Bridge was in December 1999 in the Premier League when a 2-0 victory put them top of the Premier League. The Blues finished the game with ten men after Frank Leboeuf was sent off after 68 minutes.

In last season’s Premier League game at Stamford Bridge, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer with a penalty gave the Blues a two-goal lead, but second-half strikes from Lukas Nmecha and Noah Okafor earned Leeds a draw. It was the first time they had avoided defeat at the Bridge since November 2000.

Previous meetings in the League Cup

Other cup meetings (all FA Cup)

Head-to-head (all competitions)

Played 112
Won 40
Drawn 31
Lost 41

Last five meetings at Stamford Bridge

Biggest win for each team:

Leeds 7-0 Chelsea - 1967/68 Division One
Chelsea 7-1 Leeds - 1934/35 Division One

Leeds biggest win at Stamford Bridge - 5-2 in 1969/70 (Division One)

Chelsea stats

Chelsea have won 20 (three after a penalty shoot-out) of our past 23 League Cup ties at Stamford Bridge, losing just two - to Manchester United in 2019 and last season’s semi-final against Arsenal.

Chelsea are London’s most successful club in the League Cup, with five wins, including the capital’s first in 1965 (3-2 on aggregate v Leicester City) and most recent triumphs (2-0 v Tottenham Hotspur in 2015).

Since 2001, Chelsea have failed to progress from the League Cup third round three times – in 2005/06 when Charlton won on penalties after a 1-1 draw, 2010/11 when Newcastle won 4-3 at Stamford Bridge, and in 2022/23 when Manchester City beat us 2-0 at the Etihad.

Wednesday night’s game will be Chelsea’s 108th League Cup match at Stamford Bridge, having won 69 per cent of the previous 107 (five after a penalty shoot-out).

Chelsea’s record League Cup win remains the 7-0 third-round victory at Doncaster on 16 November 1960, during our maiden campaign. The previous month, we beat Millwall 7-1 away in the first round.

If the aggregate scores are level after 90 minutes, the tie will be decided on penalties as there is no extra-time in this competition until the semi-final stage.

It has been nearly three years since our last penalty shoot-out, when we beat Newcastle United 4-2 in the League Cup quarter-final in December 2023.

Milestones

Moises Caicedo’s next appearance will be his 150th for the club.

Leeds stats

Last season

Premier League: 14th
FA Cup: Lost 0-1 to Chelsea in the semi-final at Wembley
League Cup: Lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday in the second round
Top scorers (all competitions): Dominic Calvert-Lewin 15

Best seasons in the League Cup

Winners: 1967/68 (beat Arsenal 1-0)
Runners-up: 1995/96 (lost 3-0 to Aston Villa)
Semi-finals: 1977/78, 1978/79, 1990/91

Daniel Farke’s side are unbeaten in their four league and cup games this season.

They opened with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, following that with a 2-0 victory over Forest at the City Ground in the Carabao Cup, before holding Brentford to a 1-1 draw at Elland Road. Last weekend they drew at Brighton having taken the lead after a quarter of an hour.

Leeds have lost two of their last 16 games across all competitions (eight wins, five draws).

The Whites have conceded two goals in their four league and cup games so far.

Leeds have won their past two penalty shoot-outs, both coming in last season’s FA Cup campaign, against Birmingham and West Ham.

They have reached the League Cup fourth round once in the last eight campaigns (2021/22).

Daniel Farke’s managerial record vs Chelsea

Won: 1
Drawn: 3
Lost: 5

2026/27 Leeds results

Nottingham Forest (PL a): W 1-0 Stach
Nottingham Forest (LC a): W 2-0 James, Justin
Brentford (PL h): D 1-1 Calvert-Lewin
Brighton (PL a): D 1-1 Bogle

Carabao Cup second round line-up

Tuesday 25 August
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Leeds
Team (3-4-2-1): Trafford; Rodon, Elvedi, Muharemovic; James (Bogle 71), Ampadu (c), Tanaka (Stach 68), Justin; Longstaff (Wilson 67), Okafor (Aaronson 67); Nmecha (Calvert-Lewin 83)
Goals: James 50, Justin 75
Booked: Tanaka, Longstaff, Ampadu

Discipline

There are no suspensions.

Yellow cards only count in the competition they are received. In the Carabao Cup, two bookings will result in a one-match suspension. No Chelsea players were booked against Luton.

Match officials

Referee: Jarred Gillett
Assistants: Neil Davies, Steven Meredith
Fourth official: Bobby Madley

There is no VAR.

Jarred Gillett officiated four Chelsea matches last season, most recently the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds at Wembley.