Ange Postecoglou already finds himself on the brink of dismissal after only a month in the Nottingham Forest dugout and Chelsea could provide the final nail in his coffin on Saturday.
There are murmurings that the Australian could be fired if Forest are beaten by Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend, with the ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss still awaiting his first win since taking charge. Three losses on the bounce means it’s now seven games without victory for the 60-year-old, who is already staring down the barrel of a loaded gun.
Given Forest’s dreadful form and alarming defensive record, Chelsea will fancy their chances of piling even more misery on the Midlands side. The Blues have a number of injury concerns, but will be riding a wave of positivity after their last-gasp victory against Liverpool before the international break.
The Blues had been in a funk after a patchy run of form, but have now enjoyed back-to-back wins, toppling former manager José Mourinho and his Benfica side before overcoming the reigning Premier League champions. Enzo Maresca’s side have a winnable run of fixtures before next month’s international break and will be desperate to build momentum.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the battle at the City Ground.
What Time Does Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea Kick-Off?
- Location: Nottingham, England
- Stadium: City Ground
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 18
- Kick-off Time: 12.30 p.m. BST / 7.30 a.m. ET / 4.30 a.m. PT
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh
- VAR: Peter Bankes
Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Nottingham Forest: 1 win
- Chelsea: 2 wins
- Draws: 2
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea on TV
Nottingham Forest Team News
Forest could be without last season’s top scorer Chris Wood for Chelsea’s visit after the striker was withdrawn during New Zealand’s clash with Norway. Igor Jesus, who has been in impressive form and featured for Brazil over the international period, could take his place in the lineup regardless of injury.
Douglas Luiz and Oleksandr Zinchenko both sat out matches before the international break due to injuries and the duo are facing a race against time to be declared fit for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
Ola Aina, a product of Chelsea’s academy, is guaranteed to miss out with a hamstring injury that has sidelined him since mid-September.
Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
Nottingham Forest predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Sels; Cunha, Milenković, Murillo; Savona, Sangaré, Anderson, Williams; Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Jesus.
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea are inundated with injuries and Cole Palmer is their most significant absentee. The England international has already been absent since the defeat to Manchester United and Maresca has now confirmed he faces six more weeks on the sidelines due to his nagging groin issue.
He’s certainly not alone in the treatment room, with Benoît Badiashile out injured again after suffering a setback against Liverpool before the internationals. Levi Colwill is also missing in the backline, but Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Josh Acheampong should all be fit after fitness issues. Trevoh Chalobah also returns from suspension and Reece James has been passed fit.
Maresca has confirmed that the influential trio of Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández and Pedro Neto are all injury doubts having not trained upon their return to Cobham, and they could join Dário Essugo and Liam Delap as absentees this weekend.
Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended after failing a drugs test and Maresca will not be on the touchline at the City Ground have received a one-match ban for his wild celebrations against Liverpool.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Nottingham Forest
Chelsea predicted lineup vs. Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; James, Lavia; Estêvão, Buonanotte, Garnacho; Pedro.
Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea Score Prediction
Chelsea’s injury woes will provide them with an added challenge at the City Ground but, fortunately for the Blues, they face the club rock bottom of the division’s form table across the past five matches. Forest have been disastrous in defence and unconvincing going forward, with Postecoglou still trying to find his best formation and XI.
Even a weakened Chelsea side should take full advantage of Forest’s lack of confidence, especially with their defence in better shape as players return from injury and suspension. Luckily, Maresca boasts one of the deepest squads in world football and will still demand victory this weekend.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 0–2 Chelsea
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
