Nottingham vs Chelsea prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2025-05-24 15:00.
[p]Seldom has a game carried more importance in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) race than this final-day showdown between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea. Forest come into this clash in seventh and already assured of European football for next season, but as they sit just a point behind a Blues side occupying the fifth and final UCL spot, they’ll be hoping to dine out at Europe’s top table for the first time since 1980/81 next season, when they were the reigning champions of Europe![/p]
[p]To do so, Forest will have to beat Chelsea and hope one of Aston Villa or Newcastle lose their respective games. Without a win in three matches at home (D1, L2), holding up their own end of the bargain may be tricky for Forest, who also bear the psychological scars of losing their last home league game of the season last term against Chelsea (3-2), albeit they haven’t lost consecutive home league H2Hs in over a century. [/p]
[p]Barring a miracle the likes of which the Premier League has never seen before, the simplest way for Chelsea to secure their top-five spot is to beat Forest. A host of other permutations mean a draw could be enough too, but having won six of their last seven games in all competitions (L1), the Blues will be keen to sign off in style ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis. [/p]
[p]After a two-season exile from the UCL, rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite once again would undoubtedly have been among Enzo Maresca’s primary objectives in his first season in charge. Although they’re in a strong position to secure that feat, they can’t afford to rest easy as they’ve won only one of their last ten away league games (D3, L6), while they’ve lost all six league road trips this term to sides currently eighth or higher in the table. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Anthony Elanga scored the winner in Forest’s only win against Chelsea since January 1997, and he’s shone on the creative front lately, assisting in three of his last five Premier League appearances. Pedro Neto is the only player to score a winning away league goal for Chelsea in 2025 – 12 of his 15 career Premier League goals arrived after the break. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Chelsea have only scored seven of their 28 away league goals this season against sides currently 13th or higher.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]