With Nottingham Forest three points away from relegation, they have a tough task at hand to avoid it. They cannot afford to lose the remaining two matches because it will confirm their position in the Premier League next season. They secured a much-needed win in the last match against Sheffield United to boost their chances of making the playoffs.
Following the much-improved performance they’ve shown in recent matches, Chelsea are again in contention for European places. Three huge results have brought them back to 7th place in the league in the last three matches, starting with a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa and then victories over Tottenham and West Ham. To qualify for European football next season, the Blues must win all the remaining matches.
Kick-Off:
Sat, 11 May at 10:00 PM IST
Location: The City Ground
Form:
Nottingham Forest (in all competitions): W-L-L-D-L
Chelsea (in all competitions): W-W-D-L-L
Player to Watch
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Nottingham Forest)
The former Chelsea man seems to have settled well in his new surroundings as he is starting to possess the qualities which have made him a key player for the team. This season he has 7 goals to his name in 27 appearances. His brace against Sheffield United secured a much-needed win for the team in the last match.
Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
This season has been incredible for Cole Palmer, who has scored 21 goals and laid on another 9 assists for the Blues. His creativity and vision have allowed the Blues to create more chances. In recent weeks, he has played an important role in the Blues’ much-improved form. In this match, he will be the main man again.
Injury and Team News
There is one injury concern in Nottingham Forest’s squad, as Williams has suffered a hamstring injury. He will be out for a few weeks.
In comparison, Chelsea have a number of injured players. Reece James, Chilwell, and Chukwuemeka are all missing. Lavia and Enzo Fernandez are already out of the season with Fofana joining them. However, the good news for them is that Colwill and Nkunku are back on board.
Head-to-Head
Total Matches-6
Nottingham Forest- 1
Chelsea- 3
Draw-2
Predicted lineup for Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea
Nottingham Forest Predicted lineup (4-2-3-1):
Sels; Montiel, Boly, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Danilo; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Chelsea Predicted lineup (4-2-3-1):
Petrovic; Gusto, Chalobah, Silva, Cucurella; Caicedo, Gallagher; Madueke, Palmer, Sterling; Jackson
Match Prediction for Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea
Unlike Chelsea, Nottingham Forest have endured a difficult run of form in the last couple of matches. The home team will find it hard to handle Chelsea as they will be too hot to handle against them. They have been doing admirably in the last couple of matches, but they will have a difficult time securing all three points.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Chelsea
Telecast
India – Disney+Hotstar, Star Sports Network
UK– Sky Sports, TNT Sports
US- NBC, USA Network, Peacock
Nigeria- DSTV, Gotv, Kwese TV
