Nottingham Forest meet Chelsea at the City Ground in a pivotal Premier League match at opposite ends of the table.
Victory would see Forest stay 17th and secure survival if can better both of Luton and Burnley’s results elsewhere in the mid-afternoon kick-offs.
Chelsea can go sixth with a win if Newcastle lose at home to Brighton in a mid-afternoon kick-off.
Team News
Neco Williams is Forest’s only injury doubt with an unspecified issue.
Chelsea could welcome defender, Reece James back into contention following his recovery from a lengthy hamstring injury.
Robert Sanchez (illness), Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka (both knee), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Enzo Fernandez (groin), Wesley Fofana (ACL) and Romeo Lavia (thigh) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Forest host Chelsea at City Ground on Saturday 11 May at 5:30pm BST, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Forest have won one of their last five league meetings against Chelsea (W1, D2, L2).
- Chelsea are unbeaten in four of their six Premier League visits to Forest (W2, D2, L2).
- Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling has scored three goals in two of his last three appearances against Forest.
- Morgan Gibbs-White has scored in each of Forest’s last two home games (W1, D1).
- Chelsea are winless in their last five away matches in the league (D4, L1).
Prediction
After coming from behind to win at Sheffield United with a clinical attacking display despite conceding first with a silly foul, Forest know that this is a huge chance to secure survival if results earlier in the day go their way and they can be as just as clinical at home as they were last weekend.
Chelsea meanwhile are unbeaten in 11 of their last 12 league matches despite their weak away form and after ruthlessly demolishing West Ham at home last weekend, they now face a huge task of converting that quality at home into this away game despite their rut on the road.
Now if Chelsea can do that and score first, I can’t see them losing this but Forest have their own point to prove so this might be closer than some might wish to think, although my instinct is that Mauricio Pochettino’s Blues will certainly win this.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-2 Chelsea
Result: Nottingham Forest 2-3 Chelsea
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