Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest preview: storylines, odds, prediction as Blues look to move on

Is there a player in the country currently in better shape than Cole Palmer? After scoring four goals for Chelsea against Brighton last week – all within 20 first-half minutes – Palmer has scored 10 goals in his first six games of the season. There can’t be a player Nottingham Forest would least like to face in the Premier League.

There has been an interesting debate on social media this week about the England international. Would you rather have Erling Haaland or Palmer on your team? Manchester City were happy to sell the latter to Chelsea for £42m, but it’s clear they didn’t expect Palmer to become so influential at Stamford Bridge. Haaland’s goal numbers were ridiculous. He has scored 101 goals in 107 games. But Palmer has shown that he can score goals, create them and give his team energy. Since the start of last season, Palmer has had the same number of goal involvements as Haaland (42).

In fact, the debate over which player is more important to his team is much narrower than you might think. Palmer has the world at his feet and if he continues on this path he could reach the level of Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard in Chelsea folklore.

Manager Enzo Maresca will be happy that Palmer is not the only one carrying the team. Jadon Sancho continues to impress on loan from Manchester United after registering three assists in as many games, while striker Nicolas Jackson proves he is the reliable striker Chelsea desperately need after four goals in six games. Meanwhile, Christopher Nkunku and new signing Pedro Neto scored again this season in a 4-2 win over Gent in the UEFA Conference League.

Chelsea host a Forest side this weekend who are off to a solid start to the season after two wins, three draws and just one defeat. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will go into the game without fear, having already beaten title contenders Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield – their first win on Merseyside in 55 years.

Before the win over Brighton, Maresca’s men had not won at home in the league this season, losing to Manchester City and a draw against Crystal Palace, so that will also give the visitors confidence. Forest have yet to lose an away game this season and look solid overall. They have only conceded five goals – only league leaders Liverpool have allowed fewer – so if Chelsea view this game as an easy win, they will be sorely mistaken.

Luckily for Maresca, he has no new injury concerns to worry about with Reece James and Omari Kellyman still out. Forest are still without the suspended Morgan Gibbs-White, who sat out the 1-0 defeat to Fulham last time out. Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare are missing for the long term.

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Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest odds

BetFair odds and live update.

Venue: Stamford Bridge-London
Time: 2:00 p.m. BST (9:00 a.m. ET), Sunday

Form Guide (league only)

Chelsea: 4-1-1, 13 points (4th) | Final five: WWWDW
Nottingham Forest: 2-3-1, 9 points (10th) | Final five: LDWDW

Match prediction

Chelsea 3-1 Nottingham Forest

It won’t be an easy task for Chelsea – and Forest will make it difficult for them – although the Blues probably have too much to offer the visitors. Expect the Blues to come away with the result at the end and pick up their second home win of the season. Chelsea is blessed with dynamism and in-form players. Palmer, Jackson and Sancho have the wind in their sails and that positivity should benefit Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

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(Photo by Jadon Sancho: Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)