Exclusive:Leeds United FA Cup match-winner identified with 'nothing to lose' Chelsea semi-final verdict
Leeds United's key players will need to be right at their best against Chelsea on Sunday.
Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been singled out as the potential difference-maker during this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final meeting with Chelsea.
Calvert-Lewin and his teammates head to London on Sunday looking to create another piece of history. Not since 1987 have Leeds been in the final four of the FA Cup and it’s another 14 years since they took part in the final.
They face Chelsea with a chance to end that long wait, a side they dominated on the way to a 3-1 home win in December before drawing 2-2 at Stamford Bridge two months later. Calvert-Lewin missed the latter through illness but caused chaos in the Elland Road victory.
His namesake Dominic Matteo believes the Leeds striker is currently at his physical peak, having not missed a single game through injury this season. And he’s been backed to cause big problems for Chelsea once again at Wembley.
“I think Dominic will be key,” Matteo told the YEP via BetSelect.co.uk. “He looks so fit at the moment, the fittest I've seen him all season, and he's such a handful. If Dom has a good game against Chelsea, that'll put them on the back foot. And then I think we can get ourselves into the game and get our forward-thinking players like Tanaka on the ball higher up.
“Set pieces will be very important for Leeds, and Chelsea might struggle against them. Stach being out is a loss because of his delivery, so somebody will have to step up and make sure the balls are going into the box.”
Those two impressive performances should give Leeds confidence going into Sunday and a good run of league results has them well-placed to avoid relegation. Daniel Farke’s side can now approach their FA Cup semi-final with a sense of freedom that, according to Matteo, could give them an edge over under-pressure Chelsea.
“I think Leeds have got a chance. I really do,” he added. “They’ve played Chelsea twice this season; they won one and drew the other. If Leeds can win the next couple of games and then go into that game with that positivity, I think they've got nothing to lose, and it puts more pressure on Chelsea.
“I know it's at Wembley and there will be nerves, but Chelsea will probably think they are favourites, and if they've got that little bit of arrogance or think it's going to be easy, Leeds could capitalise on that. Chelsea have got more experience in these situations, but they’ve also got more to lose than Leeds have.
“It’s going to be a close game. I don't think it's going to be an easy game for either club. There is a lot of rivalry in this game. If you go back to the '70s and Chelsea against Leeds, some of the old boys will tell you stories. It was like going to war. But yeah, listen, I'm really looking forward to the game.”