Chelsea are set to host Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge in a rare Monday 3pm Premier League showdown, and there's plenty at stake for both sides.
The Blues will be looking to complete a Premier League double over Forest for just the second time in club history, following their dominant 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture back in October. The last time they managed that feat was during the 1998/99 campaign.
However, Chelsea arrive at this fixture in a tough spot, having suffered a dreadful five-match losing streak in the top flight. Alarmingly, they've failed to score in all five of those games—a first for the club since 1912. Their last league outing ended in a heavy 3-0 defeat at Brighton, which ultimately cost Liam Rosenior his job as manager.
Despite their league struggles, there's a glimmer of hope for the Blues. Interim boss Calum McFarlane guided them to a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Leeds United, thanks to Enzo Fernandez's first-half header at Wembley. That win snapped a three-game goal drought and set up a final showdown with Manchester City.
While Chelsea currently sit closer to 16th place than the top five, their Champions League hopes aren't completely dashed. If Aston Villa secure a top-five finish and win the Europa League, sixth place could still be enough for European qualification.
On the other side, Nottingham Forest are flying high. Vitor Pereira's side stretched their unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions with a narrow 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Europa League semi-final first leg, courtesy of a Chris Wood penalty. They've now won four straight games across all competitions.
Forest's last Premier League outing was a thumping 5-0 victory over Sunderland, moving them eight points clear of the relegation zone and boosting their survival hopes. History is also on their side: they've lost just two of their eight away league games against Chelsea, and they remain unbeaten in all three visits to Stamford Bridge since returning to the top flight in 2022 (one win, two draws).
In team news, McFarlane has confirmed that Reece James and Levi Colwill could return to the matchday squad after recovering from injuries. However, Estevao Willian, Filip Jorgensen, and Jamies Gittens remain sidelined.