Nottingham Forest — Chelsea : Match Preview and Prediction for October 18,2025

Nottingham Forest’s Current Struggles

Forest continues to sink deeper into their struggles, so the international break likely came at a crucial time for the ‘Tricky Trees’. Following Nuno’s dismissal, Nottingham is still desperately searching for their first win of the season, and under Postecoglou, victories have been hard to come by. Before the break, the hosts suffered a 2-3 home defeat to Midtjylland in the Europa League, followed by a 0-2 loss against Newcastle at St. James’ Park.

Managerial Pressure and Key Absences for Forest

The situation is increasingly dire, leading to active rumors during the break that Ange could already be replaced, with Rafa Benitez’s name frequently mentioned. While these are currently just whispers, a couple more unfavorable results, which are entirely plausible, could turn these rumors into reality. For the match against Chelsea, Zinchenko, Douglas Luiz, and Ola Aina are set to miss out, while Chris Wood’s participation is doubtful after a minor injury sustained while on international duty in Oslo. All these players are integral parts of Nottingham’s rotation.

Chelsea’s Recent Form and Momentum

If Forest are reeling from three consecutive defeats, Chelsea, on the other hand, entered the international break in high spirits. Enzo Maresca’s team first edged out José Mourinho’s Benfica 1-0 in the Champions League, then followed up with a crucial 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, secured by Estevao’s 95th-minute winner.

Squad Depth and Key Absences for Chelsea

The Brazilian is gradually integrating into the London squad and is becoming a pivotal figure, even shining for Ancelotti’s national team – he notably demolished South Korea with his goals during the international break in a resounding 5-0 victory. Overall, the ‘Blues’ appear to be a much more stable unit and are well-positioned to capitalize on Nottingham’s current predicament. For Chelsea, Colwill, Delap, Essugo, Mudryk, and Cole Palmer (a significant loss) will miss this game, while Fofana, Fernandez, James, and Andrey Santos are all doubtful. Maresca, however, has a deep squad, suggesting they might absorb these absences without significant impact.