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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Luke Pawley

'Wilted away' - Mark Lawrenson backs up brutal Nottingham Forest verdict with Chelsea prediction

Pundit Mark Lawrenson has tipped Chelsea to beat Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on New Year's Day.

Forest currently sit in 19th place and host a Chelsea side who occupy eighth spot in the Premier League table. While the Reds have suffered some difficult results this year, Lawrenson thinks this match will be a competitive one.

He has backed Chelsea to pick up the three points, though, and thinks Graham Potter and his team will pick up a 2-1 win against Steve Cooper's men. Chelsea "have enough" despite the victory despite missing a number of players through injury.

READ MORE: Nottingham Forest transfer news LIVE: January priority, challenge faced, Scarpa situation

READ MORE: Steve Cooper explains transfer hope amid growing Nottingham Forest injury list

"Forest just wilted away at Old Trafford," Lawrenson wrote in his weekly predictions column for Paddy Power. "Chelsea had a solid win but they’ve lost Reece James with injury again so I wonder if they’ll buy someone to help cover that position."

James' absence will not bother Chelsea against Forest, however. "They’ll have enough to win this," Lawrenson added. "Nottingham Forest 1-2 Chelsea."

Fellow pundit Chris Sutton also predicted a 2-1 win for Chelsea and gave his thoughts on Forest's Premier League plight in his predictions for the BBC.

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Steve Cooper tipped to complete Nottingham Forest 'miracle' after U-turn

Full Nottingham Forest squad available to face Chelsea with seven stars potentially missing out

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