“Forest Host Chelsea in Key Premier League Clash at City Ground”
Nottingham Forest host Chelsea at the City Ground in a crucial Premier League clash. Forest are hovering near the relegation zone and desperate for points, while Chelsea aim to continue their climb toward European spots. Forest’s form has dipped with no wins in their last few games, whereas Chelsea look sharper but still inconsistent away from home. With survival and momentum on the line, both sides have plenty to fight for tomorrow.
Match Details :
- Fixture: Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea
- Date: 18 October 2025
- Kick-off: 8:30 PM IST (4:00 PM BST)
- Venue: The City Ground, Nottingham
Live stream :
The match will be live on the Jio Hotstar app ,and will be telecasted on Sky sports and on star sports select 1 too.
| Key Stats | Nottm forest | Chelsea |
| Head-to-head | 42 wins | 27 wins |
| Draws | 31 | 31 |
| Last 5 Matches | D ,D ,L ,L ,L | L , W ,L ,W , W |
| Aggregate(5) | 8 goals | 17 goals |
| Top Scorer(5) | Elanga -1 | Sterling – 3 |
| Other Scorers | Wood -1 , Hudson Odoi-1 | Jackson-1 , Colwill-1 |
| Notable Streak | Forest have had some bright moments: they went unbeaten against Chelsea in a few recent matches | Chelsea have won six of the last twelve matches against Forest across all competitions |
Tactical Tussles:
Nottingham Forest will likely sit deep in a compact 3-4-2-1, aiming to absorb Chelsea’s pressure and strike on the counter through quick wingers and Gibbs-White. Chelsea, in a 4-3-3, will look to control possession, use full-backs to stretch play, and feed their attacking trio.
Forest’s success depends on staying disciplined and hitting Chelsea on transitions, as they did in some of their recent matchups . Chelsea must break the press early and move the ball quickly to exploit space. The game will hinge on whether Forest can frustrate the Blues or Chelsea can impose their rhythm first.
Team news:
Chelsea face a tough test at the City Ground without manager Enzo Maresca, who serves a one-game touchline ban after last-minute celebrations against Liverpool. Key absentees include Liam Delap (hamstring), Levi Colwill (ACL), Dario Essugo (thigh), and Mykhaylo Mudryk (doping ban). Others like Enzo Fernández (knee), Cole Palmer (groin), Andrey Santos (knock), Reece James (knock), Wesley Fofana (concussion), and Tosin Adarabioyo (calf) remain doubtful. Trevoh Chalobah returns from suspension, while Benoit Badiashile and Josh Acheampong are fit after precautionary withdrawals against Liverpool.
Nottingham Forest have fewer issues, with only Ola Aina (hamstring) confirmed out. Oleksandr Zinchenko (groin) and Douglas Luiz (hamstring) are doubtful. Postecoglou is expected to revert to a four-man defence, allowing Callum Hudson-Odoi to feature prominently after a recent tactical shift at St James’ Park.
X-Factors :
Nottingham Forest:
- Morgan Gibbs-White: Key creator, vital for quick transitions and unlocking Chelsea’s midfield.
- Taiwo Awoniyi: Clinical in front of goal, a constant threat on counters.
Chelsea:
- Moises Caicedo: Midfield dynamo, drives play forward and breaks up opposition attacks.
- Enzo Fernández: Midfield engine, controls tempo and links defence to attack.
Predicted line-ups:
- Nottingham Forest: Selz, Neco Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Zinchenko, Sangaré, Anderson, Ndoye, Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Chris Wood.
- Chelsea: Robert Sánchez, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Benoît Badiashile, Marc Cucurella, Roméo Lavia, Moisés Caicedo, Estêvão, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, João Pedro.
