This article is part of our Game Previews series.
Nottingham Forest and Chelsea converge Sunday at the City Ground for their 100th all-time encounter with a berth in the Champions League hanging in the balance for each club.
Entering Gameweek 38, Nottingham Forest sit seventh in the table on 65 points, while Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League on 66 points.
This is a must-win match for Nottingham Forest, as a draw will keep them below Chelsea in the table. A draw could mean sixth place for Chelsea if Aston Villa, who also sit on 66 points, can win at Manchester United.
Premier League Schedule and Fixture Difficulty Ranker
Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea Head-to-Head Record
Nottingham Forest and Chelsea have met on 99 occasions, dating back to 1906 when Nottingham Forest defeated Chelsea 3-1 in a League Division Two matchup.
In the reverse fixture earlier this campaign, Chris Wood and Noni Madueke each claimed second-half goals in a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea lead the all-time series, winning 41 times and drawing on 31 occasions.
Betting Odds and Predictions for Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea Match
Premier League Odds Comparisons
Moneyline Odds
DraftKings: NFO +200 Draw +260, CHE +125
FanDuel: NFO +210 Draw +250, CHE +115
BetMGM: NFO +200 Draw +260, CHE +120
Bet365: NFO +200 Draw +275, CHE +120
Visit RotoWire all season for exclusive sports betting picks and our weekly Premier League betting show. Remember that betting apps vary in terms of odds, so we have an easy-to-use odds page that allows you to shop for the best lines at DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and PointsBet. Claim over a thousand dollars in bonuses by signing up at the best sports betting sites using the best sportsbook promos.
RECENT FORM
Nottingham Forest (WDDLL) have gone unbeaten across three fixtures after losing two straight to Manchester City and Brentford. Over their three-match unbeaten run, Forest will feel they've dropped critical points in a 2-2 draw versus relegated Leicester City.
Chelsea (WLWWW) have secured key victories over Liverpool and Manchester United in the final stages of the season but lost a crucial matchup at St. James' Park versus Newcastle. The Blues have also reached the UEFA Europa Conference League final by virtue of two victories over Swedish side Djurgarden.
FORMATIONS
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has most commonly deployed a 4-2-3-1 during the club's unexpected, high-flying campaign. Forest defend in numbers, prioritizing defensive solidity. When they reclaim possession, Santo's men will look to use their speed on the flank to transition into the attack quickly.
Chelsea have developed a concrete identity under Enzo Maresca, regardless of the personnel available from match to match. The Blues set up in a dynamic shape that appears as a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 out of possession with the holding midfielder playing a critical role in protecting the back line. When in possession, look for inverted full-backs in the midfield to create a 3-2-5 attacking shape.
LINEUP NOTES & INJURY NEWS
Premier League Predicted & Confirmed Lineups
Nottingham Forest
Forest enter the fixture at near full health with the vast majority of the squad at Santo's disposal for selection.
Matz Sels has started in net for every Nottingham Forest league fixture this season. He's likely to be supported by Forest's most common pairing in central defense, Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic. In the full-back roles, Santo encourages Neco Williams and Ola Aina to pick their moments to join the attack and overlap with Forest's wingers down the flanks.
Ibrahim Sangare and Elliot Anderson have comprised Forest's midfield double-pivot over their last three matches. If Santo opts to make a change in the holding midfield role, expect Ryan Yates to get the first crack at the starting XI with Danilo also an option but having played just six minutes across the club's last four league fixtures.
Forest's attack is spearheaded by Chris Wood whose 20 goals are the fourth most in the Premier League. Wood is most often supported by Morgan Gibbs-White in the No. 10 role and agile wingers Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi (hamstring) on the wings.
Hudson-Odoi has played just seven minutes across their last three matches due to injury, and talented attacker Taiwo Awoniyi is unavailable after undergoing abdominal surgery. In lieu of the injuries to the front line, Nicolas Dominguez and Anderson have been forced to play in different roles without Hudson-Odoi.
Chelsea
Chelsea are navigating only a handful of knocks and one key suspension as Maresca seeks a starting XI that will lift the Blues to their Champions league aspirations.
Robert Sanchez is likely to remain the man between the sticks for the 11th successive league fixture. Over the previous 10-match stretch, he's recorded five clean sheets while conceding just seven goals.
Levi Colwill is the leader for Maresca's men in central defense. He was partnered with Tosin Adarabioyo in Chelsea most recent 1-0 victory over Manchester United, but Trevoh Chalobah is also a capable option available to the manager.
In the crucial matchup, expect the decisions at full-back to be straightforward as Marc Cucurella will seek opportunities to join the attack from the left side, and Reece James, at full health, is prepared to assume his familiar right full-back role.
In Chelsea's key win versus Liverpool, Maresca opted to play Moises Caicedo at right-back, pairing Enzo Fernandez with the now fit, but perennially hobbled, Romeo Lavia in the midfield double pivot. With the aforementioned James fully fit, anticipate Maresca to deploy the evergreen partnership of Fernandez and Caicedo while keeping his proverbial powder dry by holding Lavia on the bench.
The absence of Nicolas Jackson (suspension) will loom large over this fixture. The striker's forced sabbatical withstanding, Chelsea's attacking ranks are at near full strength with only Marc Guiu (hamstring) and Christopher Nkunku (undisclosed) question marks ahead of the fixture.
With Jackson unavailable, the gaffer opted for youngster Tyrique George to lead the line versus Manchester United. That fixture being in the rear-view mirror, Jadon Sancho is no longer loan locked, giving Maresca the opportunity revert to the previous lineup pairings he's deployed during Jackson's injury absences this season. Under similar conditions, the manager has opted for Pedro Neto to lead the line, supported by Cole Palmer in the No. 10 role, and Madueke and Sancho on the wings.
Regardless of the combination of attackers that comprise the starting XI, Chelsea look to have limited attacking options on the bench to energize them late in the fixture.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chris Wood's ability to bully the Chelsea back line and wriggle into dangerous spaces throughout the match will be a harbinger of the result. Though the striker has scored just twice over his last 12 appearances (11 starts), his performance Sunday is likely to be the lynchpin as to whether Forest achieve their European dreams.
Moises Caicedo is Chelsea's reigning Player of the Year and fills the critical role of protecting a Chelsea back line that has shifted personnel and tactics throughout the season. He's played the full 90 minutes across 10 successive league fixtures, making 13 interceptions and 17 clearances while contributing to five clean sheets. Caicedo's ability to boss the midfield Sunday could be the performance by which the entire club's season is judged.
BETTING PICKS & PREDICTION
Man of the Match: Pedro Neto's style of direct play is likely to create space for the Chelsea attack as they march forward in possession. The forward's pace will test a stingy Forest defensive unit, as Neto is wont to test his luck in charging down the left, right, and center of the park throughout a given shift. Having scored once and assisted once over his last five starts, expect Neto to rise to the occasion in Jackson's absence and help lift the Blues to three points and Champions League qualification.
Result: Nottingham Forest 1 - Chelsea 2
UPCOMING FIXTURES
Chelsea: May 28, UEFA Conference League Final vs. Real Betis
