Date: Sunday 25th
May 2025
Venue: The City Ground
Kick-off: 16:00 BST
Here we are then, at long last, the final
day of what has been an eyesore of a season is upon us as we travel to the City
Ground to take on Nottingham Forest. We come into today’s game off the back of
a 1-0 win against Manchester United, whilst Forest also enjoyed a win in their
last game, against West Ham.
We could cross our fingers Villa or
Newcastle lose today and we get a point, but realistically, nothing less than a
win will really be enough, which is a bit awkward given away points have been
rarer than hen’s teeth for us, with just one win from our last ten away, and we
are without a win in the last three seasons we have finished away from home. We’ll
also have an eye on the Conference final in a few days, so there’s plenty
stacked again us but its our own fault for some of the awful performances and
results during the season that we didn’t get things put to bed when we had the
chance to.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into
today’s game, Nottingham Forest manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, says “Nothing
changes. One thing we are enjoying is preparing for a big match, so why not
enjoy it? Everyone is enjoying it here. In a game like this, with motivation
you just don’t have to worry about that. It is already there. Players are on
fire to play the game so the message is to stick to the task. Recognise it is a
tough team to play against and enjoy and play the game like we always do.
The City
Ground will help us. They have been doing so since the start of the season and
last season, helping us a lot. Hopefully, it stays an enjoyable day for
everyone. Chelsea are a good team, with good players and talented squad. It is
a decisive game for everyone.”
Enzo
Maresca, meanwhile, says “When you join Chelsea, you feel the pressure from
day one. You don’t need to play this kind of game to feel more pressure or less
pressure. It’s a club where you need to win games and we have won many this
season, but we need one more and it’s the most important one.
At
this stage of the season there is pressure on all the clubs involved. Probably
the expectation weighs more heavily on our players than the Forest players, but
if their players don’t feel pressure, it’s not something I’m worried about. I’m
worried about our team and how we can win the game.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Nottingham Forest, Taiwo Awoniyi (abdominal)
is out and Murillo will be assessed. Callum Hudson-Odoi could return to the
starting line-up.
For Chelsea, Omari Kellyman (hamstring) and Wesley Fofana (thigh)
are injured. Mykhaylo Mudryk and Nicolas Jackson are suspended. Christopher
Nkunku and Marc Guiu are both available
TEAMS
NOTTINGHAM
FOREST (Possible line-up): Sels; Aina,
Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Dominguez, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White,
Hudson-Odoi; Wood
CHELSEA
(Possible line-up): Sanchez;
James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto,
Nkunku
LAST SEASON
Nottingham Forest 2-3
Chelsea (11 May 2024)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
NOTTINGHAM FOREST:
LWLDDW
CHELSEA: DWWWLW
OTHER STUFF
- This will be the 100th fixture between
the clubs in all competitions
- Nottingham Forest have not beat Chelsea
at home since 1997.
- Nottingham Forest’s only win in the past
12 meetings in league and cup came at Stamford Bridge in September 2023.
- Nottingham Forest have won 19 Premier
League games this season.
- This is Nottingham Forest’s most
successful Premier League campaign since ending third in 1994-95.
- Nottingham Forest are vying to win
consecutive top-flight games for the second time since January.
- Nottingham Forest have scored the opening
goal in 25 Premier League games this season.
- Chelsea
have taken just six points from a the last possible 30 on the road.
- Chelsea
have lost their final league match in two of the past 13 campaigns
- Chelsea
are without a win in the last three seasons they have finished away from home.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Nottingham
Forest 1-1 Chelsea
