Premier League don bounce back again as Nottingham Forest go host Chelsea for City Ground by 12:30pm this Saturday afternoon. Di Tricky Trees still never smell victory under their new oga Ange Postecoglou, while di Blues dey chase their fourth win for five games across all competitions.
Match Preview
Before international break scatter things small, both di red and blue side of London bin get reason to smile because of Chelsea performance for Stamford Bridge. Enzo Maresca boys end Liverpool losing streak and help Arsenal maintain first position before di break.
Na Moises Caicedo long-range missile and Estevao last-minute winner cancel Cody Gakpo equalizer for di 2-1 victory — wey make Estevao di youngest Brazilian to score match-winning goal for Premier League history.
Dat win stop Chelsea three-game winless run for league and push dem to seventh place for table — just three points behind Bournemouth wey dey fourth. Na third win for seven league matches, and overall, dem don win three of their last four in all competitions.
But make we talk true — Chelsea away form don be like cold pap. Only three wins for their last 14 away league matches, and dem don collect only 27% of their total points for away games this 2025. For this year, no Premier League team wey never relegate get worse away record.
Still, Chelsea 12 away points this year still better pass wetin Postecoglou don gather since e collect Forest job — just one point dey separate dem from relegation zone.
Di Australian coach don lose three straight matches in all competitions, last one na 2-0 beating from Newcastle United as Bruno Guimaraes and Nick Woltemade score for di Magpies.
Di heat don dey rise for Postecoglou, as rumours dey fly say Forest fit soon replace am — people even dey mention Sean Dyche name.
But for now, e still dey manage di team, hoping say dis go be di match wey finally break di curse — eight games, no single win since e take over.
Wahala still dey as Forest fit fail to score for three straight Premier League games for di first time since 1999, and if dem lose again to Chelsea, e go be their first time ever to lose three straight home league games to di Blues.
Nottingham Forest recent form (Premier League):
L-L-D-L-D
Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):
L-L-L-L-D
Chelsea recent form (Premier League):
W-D-L-W
Chelsea form (all competitions):
W-L-W-W
Team News
Chelsea wahala continue as Enzo Maresca collect red card for di Liverpool match — not for bad tackle but because of him wild celebration after Estevao last-minute winner. So di coach go dey watch this match from him house or press box, as e don collect one-game ban.
For injury side, Chelsea still dey without Benoit Badiashile (muscle), Liam Delap (hamstring), Levi Colwill (ACL), Dario Essugo (thigh), Mykhaylo Mudryk (doping ban), and Cole Palmer wey go still dey out for at least six weeks because of groin injury.
Maresca also talk say e dey worried about Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Pedro Neto fitness, but good news be say Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Andrey Santos, and Trevoh Chalobah (wey don serve suspension) dey available again.
For Nottingham Forest side, injury list no too long. Only Ola Aina (hamstring) dey confirmed out, while Oleksandr Zinchenko (groin) and Douglas Luiz (hamstring) fit still make am for squad. Murillo wey get small knock against FC Midtjylland fit return, meaning Postecoglou fit go back to four-man defence — something wey go help Callum Hudson-Odoi shine again against him former club.
Possible Lineups
Nottingham Forest possible XI:
Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Dominguez; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
Chelsea possible XI:
Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Buonanotte, Garnacho; Pedro
Prediction
Nottingham Forest 1–2 Chelsea
Di international break come at di perfect time for Forest to breathe small, but e interrupt Chelsea small momentum. Still, Chelsea get too much attacking quality and set-piece sharpness. Half of their away goals this season come from corners — and since Forest defence dey allergic to dead balls under Postecoglou, that fit be di difference maker again.
We expect Chelsea to continue their small rise under Maresca, even though e go dey watch from sidelines. Forest go fight, but di Blues get enough to snatch all three points.
