Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea preview: Ange Postecoglou aiming to secure first victory as Forest manager

Premier League football resumes after the international break at City Ground as Nottingham Forest hosts Chelsea in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.

Ange Postecoglou has had a difficult start to life at City Ground, with him being on a seven-game winless run since his appointment in September.

Forest suffered a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle last time out at St James’ Park before the international break and will hope to get their first win under Postecoglou.

Estevao’s stoppage-time goal secured all three points for Chelsea against the champions Liverpool in their last outing.

Match preview

Nottingham Forest have won just one of their last eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea (D3 L4), a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in September 2023.

Chelsea have won three of their last four Premier League away games against Nottingham Forest (D1), including both of their last two in a row. The Blues have never before won three successive away league games against the Tricky Trees.

Nottingham Forest have lost four of their last five Premier League games (D1), failing to score in each defeat. The Tricky Trees could fail to score in three consecutive matches in the top flight for the first time since April 1999.

Chelsea have won just three of their last 14 away games in the Premier League (D4 L7).

Nottingham Forest have lost five of their last seven Premier League home games (W1 D1), as many as their previous 22 at the City Ground beforehand (W11 D6). The Tricky Trees could lose three successive home league games for the first time since December 2023 (a run of 4).

No side’s Premier League games this season have seen more goals than Chelsea’s (22–13 for, 9 against), with 13 of those coming in their away games (8 for, 5 against); only Burnley’s matches on the road have seen more (17).

Nottingham Forest’s Ange Postecoglou lost all four of his Premier League meetings with Chelsea as Tottenham Hotspur manager.

Four of Chelsea’s eight away goals in the Premier League this season have been scored from corners. This is as many goals from corners as they scored on the road in the whole of last season’s competition.

If selected, Captain Reece James will be the first player in the current Chelsea squad to make his 200th appearance for the club.

Team news

Nottingham Forest

Former Chelsea academy graduate Ola Aina is absent due to a hamstring injury he suffered on international duty last month.

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Douglas Luiz are in a race to be available for the game.

Chelsea

Reece James and Enzo Fernandez both withdrew from international duties, as James’ withdrawal was due to a precautionary measure and Fernandez’ due to a knee injury.

Benoit Badiashile suffered a muscle injury and will be out until November.

Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, Levi Colwill, and Dario Essugo are unavailable for the visitors with injuries.

Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo are in contention to start as they return from their respective injuries.

Trevor Chalobah returns from suspension after his one-match ban against Liverpool.

Enzo Maresca will be absent from the touchline after he received a second yellow card for celebrating Estevao’s winner against Liverpool.

Predicted line-ups

Nottingham Forest: Mats Selz, Neco Williams, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ibrahim Sangaré, Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Chris Wood.

Chelsea: Robert Sánchez, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Roméo Lavia, Moisés Caicedo, Estêvão, Alejandro Garnacho, Pedro Neto, João Pedro.