By Alex Roberts
Forest have been in the driving seat for most of the season but have fallen off considerably with just one win in their last five Premier League games while Chelsea’s only defeat in the same number of league games came away at Newcastle.
Chelsea don’t like to leave home
Earlier in the season Enzo Maresca was adamant his side weren’t ready to compete for the title, his players seemed to take notice. Chelsea have just one away win in 2025, the late 2-1 victory over Fulham a few weeks ago.
It’s advantage Forest. Their fans have been incredible all season, playing in front of those who have either never seen or waited for a while to see European football return to the City Ground will be a huge boost.
Away Defeats to Ipswich, Man City, Brighton, Aston Villa, and Arsenal over the past couple of months give the fans little to hope for going into Chelsea’s biggest game of the season so far. There has to be a significant mindset shift for the West Londoners to bag a place in Europe’s elite competition.
Two big lads at the back
Murillo and Nikola Milenković have been arguably the best defensive duo in the Premier League this season. They’re a throwback to simpler times, think Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister with less bacon butties and pints of bitter.
Broad shouldered and calm under pressure, they’ve conceded the fifth fewest goals this season with 45, two more than Chelsea, with just one error leading to a goal between the two of them.
Chelsea will be without a recognised number nine for this one after Nicolas Jackson picked up a straight red card in the defeat to Newcastle. Whoever the Blues play up top, they will have two literal man mountains to climb before even trying to score.
Well, possibly two. Murillo is an injury doubt following an ankle knock suffered last weekend.
An unexpected goal scorer
Marc Cucurella has turned his Chelsea career around. His first season at the club was chaos with a head band, now he’s refined his game, and has become an unexpected weapon in Maresca’s attacking arsenal.
His goal in the 1-0 win over United was straight from the training ground. Reece James’ turn and cross met his head perfectly. Without Cucurella, Chelsea would be nowhere near the Champions League spots.
The Spaniard is now Chelsea’s top league goal scorer in 2025 with a massive four goals, which says a lot about their struggling forwards. This one is going to be tense, perhaps the winner will once again come from an unexpected / kinda expected source.
Morgan Gibbs-White farewell tour?
Gibbs-White has always been a baller but now the big boys are starting to take notice. Man City are reportedly keen on bringing the England international further north as their Kevin de Bruyne replacement. Big shoes to fill but it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
With seven goals and eight assists in his 33 Premier League games, three of which have come in his last two games, only Anthony Elanga and Chris Wood have more goal contributions than Gibbs-White this season. He’s hitting form at the right time.
He’s never put up numbers like De Bruyne, but then again, he’s never played for a side like City. Leaving Forest after qualifying for the Champions League would likely go down a little better than leaving if they miss out. Either way, any potential deal won’t come cheap.
Prediction
Chelsea’s away form is the elephant in the room here. They’re a little more solid at the back but without a focal point up front, we’re going to go with a 1-0 win for Nottingham Forest.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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