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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Arthur Ferridge

Why is Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest being played at 3pm on a Monday?

Chelsea host Nottingham Forest this afternoon in an unusual Monday 3pm BST kick-off slot.

The match may prove pivotal in both the race to qualify for Europe and the scramble to dodge relegation.

The Blues come into the affair having failed to take a point from any of their last five Premier League matches, a run of form which has seen them tumble down the table.

Under the interim leadership of Calum McFarlane, though, they will hope to breathe fresh life into their campaign.

Enzo Fernandez scored the only goal as Chelsea knocked Leeds out of the FA Cup last week (PA)

Last time out, McFarlane won the first match of this, his second spell as Chelsea's interim head coach this year, edging Leeds in the FA Cup semi-final.

Vitor Pereira’s Forest, meanwhile, have won four in a row and are unbeaten in nine, with an impressive Europa League campaign still in progress.

Why does Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest kick off at 3pm on a Monday?

Chelsea and Nottingham Forest have been assigned an abnormal kick-off time because the match had to be rescheduled.

It had originally been set to take place on Saturday, May 2, but such a kick-off time would have seen the match take place less than 48 hours after Forest’s Europa League semi-final first-leg against Aston Villa.

Sunday afternoon had been the go-to alternative in such cases earlier this season, but with Monday being a Bank holiday, the Premier League was allowed more flexibility. to maximise viewership

Thus, the match was bumped to Monday afternoon, making up a double feature with Everton and Manchester City kicking off at 8pm BST.

Forest will return to European action on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, where they lead Villa 1-0 on aggregate.

Aston Villa hosted Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

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