Forest's impressive 3-1 victory over Sheffield United last weekend was a major step towards survival, while Chelsea's 5-0 thrashing of West Ham United kept them in the hunt for a top-seven finish.
One of the standout players for Forest was Callum Hudson-Odoi, a former Chelsea academy star who seems to have found his groove with his new team, scoring twice in the win against Sheffield United.
Even though Sheffield United took an early lead with a penalty from Ben Brereton Diaz, Hudson-Odoi's double and Ryan Yates's first Premier League goal turned the game around, ending Forest's four-game winless streak.
Now, Forest sits three points above 18th-placed Luton Town and six clear of 19th-placed Burnley. A draw against Chelsea could be enough to ensure survival, depending on results from Luton and Burnley, who play West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively.
If things don't go Forest's way, the fight for survival could go down to the final week, with a high-stakes match against Burnley. This uncertainty is exacerbated by the four-point deduction Forest suffered after their appeal was rejected.
Forest has only managed back-to-back Premier League wins three times since their return to the top flight in 2022. The most recent was a 3-1 win over Newcastle United on Boxing Day, followed by a 2-1 victory over Manchester United at home. That run could give Nuno Espirito Santo's side some confidence heading into the Chelsea clash, but the Blues have been in unstoppable form this month, scoring seven goals and conceding none in two London derbies.
Chelsea’s recent dominance was on full display in their 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur and the 5-0 drubbing of West Ham, with Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke leading the charge. Chelsea currently sits seventh in the league, just two points behind Newcastle United. This position might be enough to qualify for the Europa Conference League, depending on Manchester United's performance in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Despite their dominance at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's away form has been shaky. They haven't won any of their last five Premier League away matches and haven't kept a clean sheet on the road since October. In fact, Chelsea has conceded at least one goal in each of their last 14 away games.
Chelsea's once-consistent success against Forest seems to be fading. After winning seven straight games against them from 1998 to 2020, they've gone winless in the last three encounters, including a 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, where Anthony Elanga scored the decisive goal. This unpredictability makes Saturday's match an intriguing clash, with both teams having much to play for.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo had plenty to smile about ahead of the win against Sheffield United, with four key players returning to the squad. Murillo, Willy Boly, Nicolas Dominguez, and Taiwo Awoniyi were all cleared to play, and each of them saw some action during the match.The only player Forest will be without for Saturday's game against Chelsea is Neco Williams, who's sidelined with a thigh injury. Although it's unlikely he'll be back in time for this weekend, Santo is hopeful he might be fit for their crucial final game against Burnley.
Awoniyi's return means Chris Wood's spot as the lead striker could be in jeopardy, and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who's having his best Premier League season with seven goals, is expected to continue his hot streak on the left wing.
Chelsea also saw their injury list shrink before their impressive 5-0 win over West Ham at Stamford Bridge. Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling, and Malo Gusto all returned, adding some depth to what had been a bench dominated by academy players.
However, Mauricio Pochettino still has six players unavailable for this weekend. Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Robert Sanchez, and Romeo Lavia are all out with various injuries, and Enzo Fernandez is recovering from hernia surgery. There's some good news, though: Reece James and Lesley Ugochukwu are back in full training and might be ready to join the squad.
Given Chelsea's big win last weekend, Pochettino will likely stick with most of the same lineup. He might make a slight tweak at right-back, preferring Malo Gusto over Trevoh Chalobah to handle the threat of the in-form Hudson-Odoi.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:Sels; Montiel, Boly, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Danilo; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Awoniyi
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Gusto, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Gallagher, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
EXPERT PREDICTION
Nottingham Forest 2-2 Chelsea
This game promises goals, but despite Forest's energetic attack, we're backing Chelsea. With several key players returning, Chelsea's scoring power should be enough to boost their European hopes while delaying Forest's quest for Premier League survival. However, the game might just end all square, with both teams settling for a point apiece!
