Why Leeds vs Chelsea matters at both ends of table

In the 1960s and 1970s, Leeds and Chelsea would look at their unlikely rivalry as the biggest game of the season.

Back then, the two teams fought for the Division One title but the ferocity of the rivalry ebbed away in the early 2000s.

Leeds' fall down the English divisions coincided with Chelsea's rise following Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's takeover. But with both sides facing critical moments in their season, the tense build-up going into Wednesday night's battle between the two teams - live on Sky Sports - feels like this rivalry never went away in the first place.

The omens do not look good for relegation-threatened Leeds, who dropped back into the relegation zone for the first time since October following a horror run of form.

Not only have Jesse Marsch's side fallen from eight points above the zone three weeks ago to into the bottom three, but Leeds have also lost 11 out of their 11 matches against the Premier League's top six this season - conceding an average of four goals per game in these contests.

But Chelsea have also been sucked into trouble themselves, taking just eight points from their last possible 21 on offer and are just one point ahead of fourth-placed Arsenal. The Blues still need just four points to secure a Champions League place for next season - but this contest with Leeds is now a must-win distraction ahead of their FA Cup final with Liverpool on Saturday.

Two months ago, Marsch inherited a Leeds side that was leaking goals under his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa, irrespective of the exciting brand of attacking football the Argentine brought over his four years at Elland Road

Stopping the amount of goals conceded by the team was the first task on the German-American manager's agenda and