Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea: Preview, Team News & Predictions
There will be plenty on the line for both sides when Nottingham Forest host Chelsea at the City Ground for their final Premier League match of the season.
With safety in their grasp, Forest require just one point to secure their Premier League status for another year. It will be quite an achievement, given the number of challenges they’ve sustained this term.
Their appeal against the four-point deduction held against them was in vain, as the Premier League dismissed their argument.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side came back from behind against Sheffield United to secure all three points at Bramall Lane, courtesy of a brace of fantastic goals from former Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ryan Yates’ strike.
Hudson-Odoi’s career has reignited at Forest. He’s started each of the last seven PL matches for them and returned three goals, besides being an obvious threat down the left.
He’ll have plenty to prove against Chelsea, who themselves are on the rise after having collected seven points from their last three. They’re two behind sixth-placed Newcastle United, and Mauricio Pochettino will urge his injury-ravaged side to solve their inconsistency and challenge for a European spot.
On that note, here’s everything you need to know ahead of Nottingham Forest’s crucial clash against Chelsea.
Team News
Nottingham Forest
Neco Williams remains an injury question for Nottingham Forest. Nuno will hope he returns for the final day of the season.
Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi will fight for the number nine spot as both offer variety and could be key contributors for their upstart squad.
Chelsea
In recent weeks, Chelsea have had more injuries than first-team players available.
Pochettino will be handed a boost with Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto, Levi Colwill, and Axel Disasi returning. Raheem Sterling was an unused substitute in the 5-0 rout of West Ham last time out.
He’s likely to miss out again, as the front four of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson, and Cole Palmer seem to have engineered a winning formula upfront.
The latter clinched Chelsea Men’s Player of the Year as well as the Players’ Player of the Year accolades on May 7th. He’s also been shortlisted for the Premier League Player of the Year and Premier League Young Player of the Year award. Palmer has notched 21 league goals for Chelsea in what has been an astonishing debut season.
Meanwhile, the Blues’ well-documented injury list comprises Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, and Carney Chukwuemeka among others. However Reece James and Lesley Ugochukwu have both returned to team training and could see action this weekend.
Predicted XI
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Montiel, Boly, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Danilo; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Gilchrist, Silva, Chalobah, Cucurella; Gallagher, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
Match Prediction
The Blues have won just twice in their last 10 visits to Nottingham Forest. They also dropped points in the reverse fixture, losing 1-0. However, with their defenders finding form and the team evidently gelling together (nine goals scored in their last three league games), they should be able to get over the line and leave Forest with a nervy final day dilemma away at Burnley.
Predicted score: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Chelsea
-Roy Akarshak
Twitter: @RoyAkarshak
Photo: Mat Fascione. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.