Chelsea Aims to Overcome Away Struggles Against Nottingham Forest

Chelsea are considered favourites for their Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this Saturday, according to the Opta supercomputer, which gives the Blues a 48.1% chance of victory compared to Forest’s 27.8%. Chelsea enter the match with three wins from their last four fixtures in all competitions, but their away form remains a concern. Enzo Maresca’s side have managed just three wins in their last 14 Premier League away matches, and only 27% of their points in 2025 have come on the road—no other ever-present top-flight club has a worse away record this calendar year. For Nottingham Forest, the situation is dire. Ange Postecoglou, who has yet to secure a victory in seven games since taking charge, is under increasing pressure, with speculation linking ex-Everton boss Sean Dyche to the role. Forest have lost three consecutive matches in all competitions, most recently falling to Newcastle United. The club risks a third straight home league defeat for the first time since December 2023 and could also go three Premier League games without scoring for the first time since 1999. Postecoglou has a dismal personal record against Chelsea, losing all four league encounters during his Tottenham tenure. In terms of team news, Postecoglou may revert to a four-man defense if Murillo is fit to return, which could benefit former Chelsea academy player Callum Hudson-Odoi. For Chelsea, who will be without manager Enzo Maresca on the sidelines due to a red card in the previous match, the fitness of several key players remains uncertain after the international break. The Blues have scored 50% of their away league goals from set pieces this season, a notable advantage given Forest’s struggles with dead-ball defending under Postecoglou. Possible starting lineups suggest Forest may field Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Dominguez; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus, while Chelsea could start Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Buonanotte, Garnacho; Pedro. With Forest desperate to halt their losing streak and Chelsea aiming to improve their travel record, the outcome remains finely balanced. The consensus among analysts, including the Opta supercomputer, points to Chelsea as the likely victors, but Forest’s urgent need for a result and the return of key players after the international break could make this a closely contested fixture. For more on the pre-match analysis and stats, visit Opta Analyst and follow updates on the official Chelsea FC Twitter account.