Javi Gracia will be keen to see lightning strike twice this weekend when Leeds United travel to face Graham Potter's out of sorts Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard got off to a strong start to life in the Elland Road hotseat by bucking Leeds’ 10-game run without a win last weekend against Southampton and that was enough to lift the club out of the relegation zone.
The Whites couldn’t build on that result in the FA Cup on Tuesday night against Fulham, but Gracia will be keen to see his side make progress against Chelsea in a game that sends his mind back to his first spell as a Premier League manager. Gracia took over from Marco Silva at Watford in January 2018 and after a draw with Stoke and a defeat in the FA Cup, he faced Chelsea in his third game in charge.
It was played at Vicarage Road, but Watford won the game 4-1 under Gracia’s guidance, thanks to goals from Troy Deeney, Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra, and that kick-started a run of three wins in four for the Hornets, who were in midtable when they sacked Silva. The 52-year-old joined Leeds in different circumstances this time around but he understandably finds the similarities hard to ignore and if he can find another result against the Blues it would provide a huge boost to Leeds’ hopes of survival.
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“I remember it perfectly,” Gracia grinned. “It was my second Premier League game, my first game at home, and like here, it was my third but my second Premier League game.
“Like here, I played another FA Cup game. I had Stoke first and then we had the FA Cup game, it was the third and in the third we won against Chelsea and I hope we can do the same. My third game I try to get the same result.
“It was a very tough game, we were a little bit lucky because (Tiemoue) Bakayoko took a red card and we played well but it helped us a little bit. It was a great result.”
Repeating the feat this time around may look unlikely given Leeds have scored just four in their last seven Premier League games and Chelsea boast one of the best defensive records in the entire division. However, few expected to see United see off the Londoners in such style earlier in the season, winning 3-0 in the reverse fixture at Elland Road.
Gracia knows his side need to play with confidence and he’ll be asking them to take the game to Graham Potter’s side and show some bite.
“I think it’s important to start very aggressive, to continue very aggressive and to finish more aggressive,” he added. “To go to Stamford Bridge is always very tough and I have that experience and I know how demanding the game.
“In this moment and the necessity they have in terms of points, we have to be very focused and prepared.”
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