Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Premier League clash between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Flying high under the wing of Enzo Maresca, Chelsea seek a sixth straight win in all competitions when they welcome Nottingham Forest to Stamford Bridge in Sunday’s Premier League battle.
The Blues have won back-to-back games 4-2 against Brighton & Hove Albion and Gent over the past week, while their visitors were conquered 1-0 by Fulham in the top flight last weekend.
Match preview
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After Cole Palmer hogged the spotlight and the match ball in Chelsea’s Premier League beating of Brighton, becoming the first-ever player to score four in one half in the competition, Maresca’s men shared the goals around when Gent visited for a Europa Conference League tie on Thursday.
Indeed, Renato Veiga, Pedro Neto, Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall were all on target as Chelsea made a perfect start to the league phase of this year’s competition, but even Blues fans could afford a slight smile at Gent’s first goal, which was set up by the son of former striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.
Sentimentality was otherwise pushed to one side on Thursday evening as the goal-happy hosts made it five wins on the spin, a sequence that includes three Premier League triumphs over Bournemouth, West Ham United and Brighton, propelling them firmly into Champions League contention.
The top four has been unchartered territory for Chelsea for the past couple of years, but the Blues have only been out-performed by Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea on the points before gameweek seven kicks off, and 15 goals represents the best attacking record in this year’s Premier League.
A staggering 16 goals have flown into the back of the opposition’s net during Chelsea’s last four matches, and whatever shooting drills Maresca and co have employed are working wonders; the Blues’ shot conversion rate of 20.3% is also the best in the Premier League.
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While Chelsea have been making nets ripple for fun over the past few weeks, Nottingham Forest have been happier grinding out one-goal wins and playing out tightly-contested draws, but Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side finally lost their unbeaten record when Fulham came to town.
Unable to find that cutting edge in front of goal, the Tricky Trees succumbed to a second-half penalty from Raul Jimenez en route to their first Premier League loss of the season, albeit one that arrived much later than many anticipated.
Despite failing to fire against the Cottagers on home soil, Santo’s side are still in a very healthy mid-table position, lying smack-bang in the middle of the rankings in 10th spot with an equal six-point gap to both 18th-placed Crystal Palace and league leaders Liverpool.
The Garibaldi faithful should welcome another away day on Sunday, though, as their side have taken an eye-catching 13 points from the last 15 on offer on the road, winning four on the spin before their fiery 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion two weekends ago.
The Stamford Bridge factor did not faze Forest last season either, as a solitary Anthony Elanga effort was enough for the Tricky Trees to earn a shock 1-0 win, but Chelsea atoned for that defeat with a 3-2 City Ground success and have not lost back-to-back home league games against Forest for 116 years.
Chelsea Premier League form:
Chelsea form (all competitions):
Nottingham Forest Premier League form:
Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):
Team News
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Once again, the Chelsea medical bay is virtually empty barring captain Reece James and Omari Kellyman, both of whom are on the mend from thigh problems, and there is still no definitive timeframe on the former’s return.
Midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka was also a last-minute absentee from the clash with Gent due to illness, although he was not expected to be given a look-in in the Premier League anyway, as Maresca reverts to his strongest possible XI.
One of several stars rested in midweek, Jadon Sancho has set up a goal in all three of his Premier League appearances for Chelsea so far and could now become just the second player to do so in his first four for the Blues, after Cesc Fabregas.
Sticking with the theme of effervescent English attackers, Forest will welcome Morgan Gibbs-White back to the fold after the Three Lions international served his one-game ban against Fulham, where his creativity was sorely missed.
Nicolas Dominguez may be the unfortunate soul to make way for Gibbs-White, who may not be the only change in the final third; Taiwo Awoniyi lasted just 45 minutes against Fulham and should be demoted for either Elanga or ex-Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Ibrahim Sangare (thigh) and Danilo (ankle) remain in the Forest infirmary, but the visitors otherwise have a clean bill of health for the trip to West London.
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno; Ward-Prowse, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
We say: Chelsea 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Forest have restricted their Premier League rivals to just 18 shots on target so far this season – only Manchester City can boast such a low tally – so Chelsea cannot expect to carve open the Tricky Trees with ease.
However, when there is a Palmer, there is a way, and a rejigged Blues team should still run into minimal difficulty as they make it six victories on the spin.
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