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Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea Preview: Odds, Tips, and Prediction

Date: 25 May 2025 Kick-off (UK Time): 16:00 Venue: City Ground Nottingham Forest welcome Chelsea to the City Ground in a crunch Premier League game on Sunday, 25 May 2025. Champions League football for next season is on the line, so this is an extra exciting clash to look forward to with lots of value for all the Premier League betting fans out there. It is set to be a mouth-watering tie as both these sides are fighting for a Champions League spot for next season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side has been the surprise package of the campaign, while Enzo Maresca has been equally impressive with his Chelsea side in his debut season in the competition.

Thierry Henry
Nigel Naicker

Last updated: 2025-05-20

Chad Nagel

7 minutes read

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Moises Caicedo of Chelsea is challenged by Morgan Gibbs.jpg

Moises Caicedo/Getty Images

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability

  1. Home: 9/4 (3.25) – 25.6%

  2. Draw: 5/2 (3.50) – 25.6%

  3. Away: 23/20 (2.15) – 48.8%.

    Odds courtesy of Betway subject to change.

Head-to-Head Record

  1. 06/10/24 – Chelsea 1-1 Forest

  2. 11/05/24 – Forest 2-3 Chelsea

  3. 02/09/23 – Chelsea 0-1 Forest

  4. 13/05/23 – Chelsea 2-2 Forest

  5. 01/01/23 – Forest 1-1 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest Current Form – LWLDD

Chris Wood of Nottingham Forest celebrates scoring his team's first goal.jpg

Chris Wood/Getty Images

After an impressive start to the season, Forest has experienced a bit of a bump in the road lately. They have won just once over their previous five games, losing and drawing the other two, respectively. 

Key Players to watch

  • Morgan Gibbs-White
    The Englishman has been excellent for Forest this season. Gibbs-White has produced 14 goal contributions in his 32 appearances and is a key player for the home team. 
  • Anthony Elanga
    The former Manchester United player has reignited his career with Nottingham Forest. Elanga has six goals and assists to his name and has featured in every game this season. 
  • Chris Wood
    At 33 years of age, Wood is having his most successful season in his career to date. The tall striker is one of the highest scorers in the league with 20 goals to his name in 34 games. 

Nottingham Forest Team News

Espirito Santo’s side has a few worries over Murillo and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who both have knocks. Additionally, Taiwo Awoniyi has an abdominal injury and will miss the visit of the Blues. 

Chelsea Current Form – DWWWL

Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates after scoring.jpg

Cole Palmer/Getty Images

The Blues have been excellent under Maresca and find themselves in a great position to get back into the Champions League for next season with one game to go. They have lost just once in their previous five games, drawing once and winning the other three in that period. 

Key Players to watch

  • Cole Palmer
    The 23-year-old has 23 goal contributions for the Blues this season. He creates or scores a goal every other game in the Premier League for his side.
  • Pedro Neto
    Neto is one of the trickiest wingers in the league. The Portuguese has scored some vital goals for Chelsea and has nine goal contributions to his name in 33 matches. 
  • Enzo Fernandez
    The Argentine has been playing in a more advanced position this season and has managed to register 13 goal contributions in 32 Premier League matches, which is an impressive return for the 24-year-old.  

Chelsea Team News

Omari Kellyman and Aaron Anselmino are both nursing hamstring issues. Wesley Fofana has a muscle strain, while Christopher Nkunku (Knock) and Marc Guiu ares doubts. 

Predicted Line-Ups

  1. Nottingham Forest - 4-3-3: Sels, Morato, Milenkovic, Williams, Aina, Danilo, E. Anderson, Sangare, Gibbs-White, Elanga, Wood

  2. Chelsea (4-3-3): Sanchez, Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia, Enzo Fernandez, Neto, Sancho, Madueke, Palmer

Suggested Bets

Given what’s at stake and each team’s recent form, the following football betting picks align with how this match is expected to unfold.

  1. Both Teams to Score (Yes): Four of the last five games between these two sides has seen both teams find the back of the net. (61/100 with Betway)

  2. Over 2.5 Goals: With Champions League on the line, expect goals at the City Ground. (7/10 with Betway) 

Value Bets

Understanding key betting rules can also help ensure clarity when navigating different markets and potential outcomes.

  1. Chelsea to Win: Coming into the game, Chelsea has the momentum. Back the Blues to claim a huge win over faltering Forest. (29/25 with Betway)

  2. Chris Wood Anytime Goal Scorer: Backing Wood to add to his tally of 20 Premier League goals could be a good shout here. (Forecast odds: 3/1)

    Our value picks feature odds from some of the most  trusted sports betting sites, ensuring reliable options for this weekend’s action.

Prediction: Chelsea to Win

It has been a pretty solid season for both these sides, and it is set to be an enthralling tie on the final day of the season. Chelsea are carrying the better form coming into the game, while the home side looks tired. 

Back Maresca’s side to claim a huge win to cement their Champions League status for next season. A welcome bonus is available with select betting sites and could add extra value before kick-off.

Thierry Henry
Nigel NaickerBetting Writer

With a decade of sports writing expertise, Nigel Naicker has crafted compelling content across football leagues like the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, as well as cricket and UFC. A passionate storyteller since 2014, Nigel joins the SportsBoom team, ready to deliver insightful narratives across various sports disciplines.

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