Chelsea vs. Leeds live stream: Where to watch Premier League online
As Liam Rosenior settles into his new role as Chelsea manager, putting his own stamp on the team he inherited will be a long-term project rather than a short-term one. His challenges are similar to those many mid-season signings have faced before him, although there is one unique element he is still battling: the lingering impact of the Blues’ Club World Cup victory last summer.
While expectations loom large after winning the FIFA and UEFA Conference League awards last season with then-manager Enzo Maresca, a more immediate problem is the physical toll the Club World Cup has placed on the Chelsea squad. The Blues’ schedule has been busy since the start of the 2024-25 campaign with a few breaks in between – they won the Conference League in Poland on May 28, then opened their Club World Cup campaign in Atlanta on June 16, played seven games in winning the title on July 13 in suburban New York and were back in London on August 17 to start a new season. Although their successful trip to the United States took place six months before Rosenior took charge of Chelsea, he admitted the impact of the tournament was still being felt.
“You have to try to refresh the team mentally and physically,” he said ahead of the Leeds United game on Monday, adding that he had to be careful about his team’s rotation as a result. It’s something Rosenior has mentioned several times in the first few weeks of his Chelsea tenure, including during the Blues’ 1-0 defeat at Arsenal in the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final last week. Cole Palmer was named among the substitutes that day in an attempt to manage the player’s minutes during an injury-plagued season, especially as the team’s priority is to finish in a UEFA Champions League place.
How to watch Chelsea vs Leeds United, odds
- Date: Tuesday February 10 | Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Stamford Bridge — London, England
- Live broadcast: Peacock
- Odds: Chelsea-185; Draw +330; Leeds United +500
Chelsea are heading in the right direction when it comes to a return to the Champions League next season, largely because England are expected to land a bonus place thanks to their UEFA coefficient ranking. The Blues sit quite comfortably in fifth place, four points clear of sixth-placed Liverpool, while Rosenior benefits from a squad almost in full fitness for their clash against Leeds, who will be eager for a favorable result in the hope of widening their six-point gap to the relegation zone. Reece James, who missed Saturday’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers due to a minor fitness issue, could miss Tuesday’s game through illness while Chelsea’s other mainstays are available.
Rosenior’s Chelsea have improved their scoring form since the managerial change, averaging 2.4 goals from 2.1 expected goals per game in all competitions, compared to 1.9 goals from 1.8 expected goals per game under Maresca. He admits, however, that they are still a work in progress and even had room for improvement as they took a 3-0 advantage against Wolves before the half-time break.
“When you’re at the level of player that I work with here, the reason they’re among the best and elite is because they make big decisions in the moment,” Rosenior said. “Being fluid has its advantages in terms of unpredictability. But if you don’t have the right structure behind it, you can become really open in transition. It’s about trying to find a balance. I felt against Wolves there were some really nice aspects to our rotations. In the second half we didn’t stay true to our structure. That’s one of the reasons why our performance wasn’t as good in the second half.”
This is not the only mark that Rosenior wants to leave on the team.
“My goal is to play at a very high level every minute of every game,” he said. “We’ve had a few conversations about this over the last few days.”
A high-intensity approach almost conflicts with the realities of Chelsea’s match congestion, with finding the happy medium admittedly being Rosenior’s most notable challenge as he looks to make the Blues his own. He believes, however, that players are getting used to the demands of a very intense workload.
“If I’m honest, these guys are fantastic professionals – they live for their work which is so important,” Rosenior said. “You want the best product possible. We have to find a way to strike the right balance between the two.”
