Chelsea host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on bank holiday Monday. The Blues booked their place in the FA Cup final last weekend, as they overcame Leeds United at Wembley. While Nottingham Forest managed a win over Aston Villa in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday. Find our match preview and best bets below.
Best Bets & Predictions
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why I’m Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea to Win | 7/10 @ Bet365 (58.8%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | After the departure of Liam Rosenior, many of the Chelsea squad put in a much improved showing against Leeds in the FA Cup last weekend. With a point to prove after such a poor run, we expect result to improve rapidly towards the end of the season. With Forest playing last Thursday and next thursday, this looks the perfect fixture for The Blues who can take advantage of having significantly more time to prepare. |
| Neco Williams Over 1.5 Shots | 18/5 @ BetMGM (41.7%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | At 18/5 with BetMGM, Neco Williams looks overpriced in the shots market. The Nottingham Forest man has been getting forward a lot recently and looking at his shot totals, this bet has landed in four of his last five Premier League away matches. His totals in that period read, 2,2,4,2,1. |
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Odds correct at the time of writing.
How both teams go into Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest
This season has been somewhat of a disaster for Chelsea, but they may still come out with some silverware after they made it to the FA Cup final by beating Leeds last weekend. Prior to the weekend fixtures in the Premier League, Chelsea sit eighth in the top-flight standings, and realistically need to win here if they are to stand a chance of a top-five finish.
Before their relegation rivals are in action this weekend, Nottingham Forest sit five points above the drop zone in 16th. The Tricky Trees need a couple more points, but the pressure will be significantly eased should Tottenham lose to Aston Villa on Sunday.
Chelsea team news
Chelsea have plenty to manage in terms of availability, with Estevao ruled out for the season and Jamie Gittens also sidelined after another hamstring issue, while Filip Jorgensen is close but still being assessed following minor surgery. There is more optimism around Levi Colwill and Reece James, who are both back in training and pushing for minutes, although both will be carefully managed, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains unavailable due to suspension.
Nottingham Forest team news
Nottingham Forest have a packed treatment room heading into the final stretch, with Callum Hudson-Odoi and John Victor both ruled out long-term after surgery and knee issues, while Nicolo Savona is also sidelined following knee surgery. There is hope for a quicker return for Murillo, while Jair Cunha, Ibrahim Sangare and Dan Ndoye are all being assessed, with Ola Aina also a late fitness call as Forest try to patch together options.
Season Form & Standings
| Team | Pos | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 8th | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 53 | 45 | +8 | 48 |
| Nottingham Forest | 16th | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 41 | 45 | -4 | 39 |
Head-to-Head
Recent Meetings
Chelsea have dominated this fixture — six wins in the last ten, with Forest taking just one. The last meeting saw Chelsea win 3-0 at the City Ground back in October. Four of the last six have gone under 2.5 goals.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 18/10/25 | Nottingham Forest 0-3 Chelsea | Premier League |
| 25/05/25 | Nottingham Forest 0-1 Chelsea | Premier League |
| 06/10/24 | Chelsea 1-1 Nottingham Forest | Premier League |
| 11/05/24 | Nottingham Forest 2-3 Chelsea | Premier League |
| 02/09/23 | Chelsea 0-1 Nottingham Forest | Premier League |
| 13/05/23 | Chelsea 2-2 Nottingham Forest | Premier League |
Can Chelsea’s Attack Find a Way Past Forest? Final Thoughts
Expect to see an increased level of player performance at Chelsea after the departure of Liam Rosenior. With more time to prepare and an improved showing in the FA Cup semi-final, it’s worth keeping the hosts on side here at 7/10. While for those looking for something at a bigger price, take Neco Williams to clear the 2+ line at 18/5.
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
