Nottingham Forest and Chelsea will be desperate to secure UEFA Champions League qualification when they face off at the City Ground on Sunday.
The curtains will on the 2024/25 Premier League season on Sunday with Gameweek 38. The final round of fixtures will start and end with ten simultaneous matches, including Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea at the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest may rue the dreadful form during the run-in if they fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. The Tricky Trees were comfortable for most of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, sitting third on the table until Gameweek 33. However, two wins in seven games have taken Nuno Espirito Santo’s men from third to seventh, with their fate out of their hands.
On the other hand, Chelsea’s faltering fortunes have been similar to Nottingham Forest, albeit over a longer period. The Blues were second until Gameweek 17 after losing only two of their opening 17 games. However, five victories in 16 matches took them from second to sixth before they recovered to fifth with five wins in their six most recent outings.
The reverse fixture saw Chelsea come from a goal down to hold Nottingham Forest to a 1-1 draw, with Noni Madueke scoring the equaliser. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Nottingham Forest
Nuno Espirito Santo has a new injury concern that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Nottingham Forest manager may be bereft of the services of three first-team players on Sunday.
The Portuguese tactician has been sweating over Murillo’s fitness, with the Brazilian defender failing to train all week due to an ankle injury. He faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. However, Eric Silva da Moreira (ankle) and Taiwo Awoniyi (abdomen) remain on the sidelines.
Matz Sels is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Nottingham Forest lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Chelsea on Sunday. The backline should feature Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Morato, and Neco Williams.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Nicolas Dominguez and Elliot Anderson. Morgan Gibbs-White will reprise the no. 10 role, with Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi being the two wide attackers. Finally, Chris Wood will lead the line for Nottingham Forest against Chelsea on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Dominguez, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Chelsea
Unlike his conterpart in the Nottingham Forest dugout, Enzo Maresca has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Chelsea manager will be without five first-team players on Sunday.
Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu are fit and available to take on Nottingham Forest after recovering from their injuries. In addition, Jadon Sancho can return after being ineligible to face Manchester United last week.
However, Aaron Anselmino, Wesley Fofana, and Omari Kellyman remain on the sidelines due to hamstring injuries. In addition, Nicolas Jackson is unavailable after seeing red against Newcastle United, while Mykhailo Mudryk serves a suspension after failing a doping test several weeks ago.
Robert Sanchez will retain his spot between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The backline should feature Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, and Marc Cucurella.
As for the midfield unit, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo are automatic picks in the double pivot. Cole Palmer will reprise the no. 10 role, with Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto being the two wide attackers. Finally, Christopher Nkunku should spearhead the Chelsea attack against Nottingham Forest.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Nkunku
Key Stats
Nottingham Forest have not beaten Chelsea at home since a 2-0 victory at the City Ground in January 1997, when Stuart Pearce and Chris Bart-Williams scored. The Tricky Trees’ only win in their 12 most recent meetings in league and cup came at Stamford Bridge in September 2023 due to a goal from Anthony Elanga (D3 L8).
Nottingham Forest have won 19 Premier League matches this season, one more than their combined tally in the two previous campaigns. They have never won 20 or more fixtures in a 38-game top-flight season.
Chelsea won six of their first eight away Premier League games under Enzo Maresca (D1 L1) but have taken only six points from a possible 30 on the road since then (W1 D3 L6). The only sides to have taken fewer away points in that period are Leicester City and Southampton, with five each.
Nottingham Forest have scored the opening goal in 25 Premier League games this season, a joint-high tally with Arsenal and Liverpool.
Chelsea have lost their final Premier League match in two of the past 13 campaigns (W8 D3). However, they are winless in the three most recent seasons they have finished away from home (D1 L2).
Player to Watch
Cole Palmer
While Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Enzo Fernandez were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Cole Palmer as the Player to Watch for Sunday’s Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea at the City Ground.
The English international has enjoyed another solid campaign, he has not reached the heights of last season. Palmer has failed to score from open play in his last 21 outings in all competitions, with his only goal in this run a penalty against Liverpool on May 4.
In addition, Palmer has scored only two of his 15 goals this season outside London – against Wolverhampton Wanderers in August and Southampton FC in December. So, he will be eager to correct that record as he looks to build momentum towards the UEFA Europa Conference League final against Real Betis.
Prediction
Nottingham Forest 2-2 Chelsea
Two finals await Chelsea as they aim to qualify for the UEFA Champions League and end the 2024/25 season with silverware. However, the Blues do not have a straightforward task this weekend, with Nottingham Forest also vying for a top-five finish.
While the Tricky Trees have slipped up in the last few weeks, they will leave it all on the pitch on Sunday. Ultimately, there might not be much to separate the two sides this weekend. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw, and the result will cost Nottingham Forest a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League. Meanwhile, Chelsea must depend on the results of Manchester United vs Aston Villa and Newcastle United vs Everton.