Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea predictions: Blues can bolster bid for top-six finish
- Nottingham Forest have lost 10 of their 13 games against top-seven teams this season
- Chelsea have lost only one of their last 12 league matches
- Recommended bet: Chelsea to win
One win in their final two games would effectively seal Nottingham Forest's place in the Premier League next season but they may not get it at home to in-form Chelsea on Saturday.
Mauricio Pochettino's men have won their last two games to stay in the hunt for a potential top-five finish, although their form on the road has not nearly been as good as that at Stamford Bridge.
Team news
Forest are likely to be missing only Neco Williams for this match as the defender has a thigh issue but Murillo, Willy Boly, Nicolas Dominguez and Taiwo Awoniyi all returned to action in the win over Sheffield United.
Reece James and Lesley Ugochukwu are back for Chelsea after long injury absences but Enzo Fernandez, Robert Sanchez, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia and Carney Chukwuemeka remain sidelined.
The stats
Both teams have scored in eight of Chelsea's last nine away Premier League matches.
Nottingham Forest have won only two of their last 11 league games.
Fifteen of Chelsea's last 18 league fixtures have produced three or more goals.
Chelsea's last four league away games have all produced at least four goals.
Cole Palmer has scored 24 goals and provided 13 assists in 42 appearances for Chelsea.
Forest have conceded at least twice in four of their last five league matches.
Prediction
Chelsea have not been as high in the table as they would have expected for the majority of the season but their results have finally begun to improve and they can still sign off with a top-six finish that offers hope for next season.
With their lengthy injury list finally clearing up, the Blues have won back-to back home games — beating Tottenham 2-0 before thrashing West Ham 5-0 — and now they can leave London with a spring in their step to tackle Nottingham Forest.
The home team are on the brink of survival after last week's 3-1 win over last-placed Sheffield United, but they had taken only one point from their previous four matches and have mainly benefited from their relegation rivals Luton and Burnley failing to muster much of a challenge.
The Blues have lost only one of their last 12 games in the league and while they have just five away wins this season, they managed a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa in their last road game and should find this an easier challenge.
Forest have won only one of their last six league and cup home games, with the sole success coming against Fulham, who are even worse travellers than their neighbours.
Chelsea have scored nine goals in their last three games and with star signing Cole Palmer in fantastic form they should cause plenty of problems for a Forest team who have conceded 10 goals in their last five matches. Striker Nicolas Jackson has bagged four goals in his last five league games, including a double against West Ham.
Forest won the teams' first meeting this season 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in September but the Blues look capable of avenging that result on Saturday.
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