By Alex Roberts
Forest have been within the driving seat for a lot of the season however have fallen off significantly with only one win of their final 5 Premier League video games whereas Chelsea’s solely defeat in the identical variety of league video games got here away at Newcastle.
Chelsea don’t like to depart residence
Earlier within the season Enzo Maresca was adamant his facet weren’t able to compete for the title, his gamers appeared to take discover. Chelsea have only one away win in 2025, the late 2-1 victory over Fulham a number of weeks in the past.
It’s benefit Forest. Their followers have been unbelievable all season, taking part in in entrance of those that have both by no means seen or waited for some time to see European soccer return to the Metropolis Floor can be an enormous enhance.
Away Defeats to Ipswich, Man Metropolis, Brighton, Aston Villa, and Arsenal over the previous couple of months give the followers little to hope for going into Chelsea’s largest sport of the season up to now. There needs to be a major mindset shift for the West Londoners to bag a spot in Europe’s elite competitors.
Two large lads on the again
Murillo and Nikola Milenković have been arguably the most effective defensive duo within the Premier League this season. They’re a throwback to easier instances, suppose Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister with much less bacon butties and pints of bitter.
Broad shouldered and calm underneath strain, they’ve conceded the fifth fewest targets this season with 45, two greater than Chelsea, with only one error resulting in a objective between the 2 of them.
Chelsea can be with out a recognised quantity 9 for this one after Nicolas Jackson picked up a straight purple card within the defeat to Newcastle. Whoever the Blues play up prime, they are going to have two literal man mountains to climb earlier than even making an attempt to attain.
Nicely, presumably two. Murillo is an harm doubt following an ankle knock suffered final weekend.
An sudden objective scorer
Marc Cucurella has turned his Chelsea profession round. His first season on the membership was chaos with a head band, now he’s refined his sport, and has grow to be an sudden weapon in Maresca’s attacking arsenal.
His objective within the 1-0 win over United was straight from the coaching floor. Reece James’ flip and cross met his head completely. With out Cucurella, Chelsea could be nowhere close to the Champions League spots.
The Spaniard is now Chelsea’s prime league objective scorer in 2025 with an enormous 4 targets, which says so much about their struggling forwards. This one goes to be tense, maybe the winner will as soon as once more come from an sudden / kinda anticipated supply.
Morgan Gibbs-White farewell tour?
Gibbs-White has all the time been a baller however now the massive boys are beginning to take discover. Man Metropolis are reportedly eager on bringing the England worldwide additional north as their Kevin de Bruyne alternative. Massive sneakers to fill but it surely shouldn’t come as a shock.
With seven targets and eight assists in his 33 Premier League video games, three of which have are available his final two video games, solely Anthony Elanga and Chris Wooden have extra objective contributions than Gibbs-White this season. He’s hitting type on the proper time.
He’s by no means put up numbers like De Bruyne, however then once more, he’s by no means performed for a facet like Metropolis. Leaving Forest after qualifying for the Champions League would probably go down a little bit higher than leaving in the event that they miss out. Both method, any potential deal received’t come low-cost.
Prediction
Chelsea’s away type is the elephant within the room right here. They’re a little bit extra strong on the again however with out a focus up entrance, we’re going to go together with a 1-0 win for Nottingham Forest.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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