Team Analysis
Nottingham Forest and Chelsea will be closing an exhilarating Premier League matchday at the City Ground. Both teams carry momentum into this fixture, thanks to victories in their respective matches last week. A last weekend victory against Sheffield United, which ended with a score of 3-1, allowed Nottingham Forest to secure vital points, keeping them three points clear of the relegation zone. However, pulling off a similar result against a resurgent Chelsea side will be an uphill battle.
Chelsea stunned spectators with a 5-0 victory over West Ham last weekend. Nicolas Jackson walked away man of the match with two goals and an assist while both Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke made decisive contributions. Mauricio Pochettino has steered the team to level points with Manchester United’s 7th position. Gaining a spot in European football is a seemingly achievable goal at this stage of their campaign.
Head-to-Head
Chelsea’s perfect record was disrupted by Nottingham Forest in their last encounter at Stamford Bridge in September 2024, where the match ended in a 1-0 surprise victory for Forest. The Reds’ home advantage has been significant, with Chelsea only succeeding in 8 of their past 34 visits. Out of the last five face-offs between these two clubs, only one has witnessed more than three goals.
Odds Analysis
Of late, Chelsea shows a scorching form, losing only one match in their past 12 Premier League appearances. Their most recent exploit was dismantling West Ham 5-0 in their previous league match. This marked their third clean sheet in the last five Premier League games.
Nottingham Forest may have thrashed Sheffield United 3-1 a week ago, however, their overall recent form has been lacklustre compared to Chelsea’s. With three defeats in their last five league matches, victory against Chelsea seems unlikely, despite the home advantage. Anticipating the host’s desperate need for points, it seems reasonable to foresee Chelsea emerging victoriously in the upcoming showdown, with odds placed at 1.95.
Nicolas Jackson, who netted two goals during the hammering of West Ham last weekend, has contributed 13 goals to Chelsea’s season. Notwithstanding their heartfelt effort, Nottingham Forest hasn’t been able to record a clean sheet in any of their past 12 competitive matches. Forecasting Jackson to score in the upcoming match, the odds are set at a tantalizing 2.75.
