Premier League action returns to Stamford Bridge this Monday as Chelsea host Nottingham Forest in Round 35, kicking off at 15:00 live on Sky Sports Main Event. It's a clash with plenty on the line for both sides, and the stats tell an intriguing story.
The Blues currently sit 8th in the table with 48 points, coming off a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Leeds United in the FA Cup. But it's Forest who arrive in red-hot form. Vítor Pereira's side, sitting 16th with 39 points, are riding an incredible wave—unbeaten in their last 11 matches across all competitions, including four straight wins. Their most recent triumph? A 1-0 Europa League victory over Aston Villa.
History favors the hosts, though. Chelsea have won 43 of the 101 meetings between these two clubs, compared to Forest's 27. The last encounter ended 3-0 in Chelsea's favor, and Pereira himself has yet to taste victory against the Blues, suffering two defeats in two attempts.
But Forest's away form is a real talking point. They've lost just once in their last seven road trips, are on a five-match unbeaten run away from home, and have scored in nine consecutive matches on their travels. That spells danger for a Chelsea side that has drawn only one of their last 14 games—suggesting this one is far from a foregone conclusion.
Predicted lineups:
Chelsea: Robert Sánchez; Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato; Moisés Caicedo, Roméo Lavia, Enzo Fernández; Pedro Neto, Marc Cucurella, Liam Delap
Nottingham Forest: Matz Sels; Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Jair Cunha, Neco Williams; Omari Hutchinson, Elliot Anderson, Ibrahim Sangaré; Morgan Gibbs-White, Igor Jesus, Chris Wood
With both teams finding their stride—Chelsea's defensive resolve meeting Forest's relentless momentum—this Monday showdown promises to be a pivotal moment in the run-in. Will the Blues defend their home turf, or can Forest extend their remarkable streak?
