Chelsea face Nottingham Forest on Monday, aiming to reignite their hopes of a European finish.
This match represents a major test for both clubs at opposite ends of the table. Interim Chelsea manager Calum McFarlane seeks to break his side’s disastrous run of five successive league defeats. Under his guidance, the Blues recently progressed to the FA Cup final by beating Leeds United. McFarlane has brought a noticeable upturn in energy and performance levels to the squad.
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, arrive at Stamford Bridge looking to build on their five-point relegation cushion. Vitor Pereira’s side enjoy superb form and remain unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches. They recently romped to a stunning 5-0 league victory against Sunderland. Forest then took a slender advantage against Aston Villa in their Europa League semi-final first leg. The visitors have scored a remarkable nine goals in their last game-and-a-half of league action.
Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest – Match preview and team news
- Competition: Premier League
- Date: Monday, 4 May 2026
- Kick-off: 15:00 BST
- Venue: Stamford Bridge
- Referee: Anthony Taylor
- VAR: James Bell
- Last Meeting: Forest 0–3 Chelsea (18 Oct 2025, Premier League)
Team news
Chelsea
Reece James and Levi Colwill have returned to team training at Cobham. McFarlane remains hopeful that both could feature in the matchday squad. However, Estevao is sidelined for the rest of the campaign with a hamstring issue. Jamie Gittens recently suffered a fresh setback as he recovers from his own injury. Filip Jorgensen could return to the squad after a groin injury.
Nottingham Forest
Vitor Pereira remains unsure if Murillo or Jair Cunha will be available on Monday. Dan Ndoye and Ibrahim Sangaré were also absent for the midweek European tie. Callum Hudson-Odoi is definitely ruled out for the remainder of the season. That said, Ola Aina is expected to be ready to face the Blues. Pereira prefers fully fit players who can give one hundred per cent.
Form
Chelsea
Chelsea have lost and failed to score in each of their last five league games. They are looking to complete the league double over Forest for the second time. The Blues have the highest expected goals total in the division during 2026. Despite this, they suffer from the worst differential between goals and xG.
Nottingham Forest
Forest are unbeaten in all three visits to Stamford Bridge since 2022. They have won twelve points in the league since the start of March. Pereira’s side has scored at least three goals in three of their last four matches. Elliot Anderson currently wins possession more than any other player in the division.
Predicted lineups
Chelsea Predicted XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez, Neto; Pedro
Nottingham Forest Predicted XI: Sels; Abbott, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; McAtee, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White; Jesus, Lucca
How to watch Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest?
The match will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event. Coverage begins at 14:30 BST ahead of the mid-afternoon kick-off. Subscribers can also stream the contest live via the Sky Go app.
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