His opposite number Ange Postecoglou will be in the Forest dugout despite speculation that the former Tottenham head coach is already under serious pressure having failed to win any of his first seven games in charge.
As this is the first game of the Premier League weekend, Chelsea have the chance to move into the top four with a win, while Forest can pull clear of the relegation zone – albeit potentially only for a couple of hours.
Date, kick-off time and venue
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea is scheduled for a 12.30pm BST kick-off today on Saturday October 18, 2025.
The match will take place at the City Ground in Nottingham.
Where to watch Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports. Coverage starts at 11am BST on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Chelsea correspondent Dom Smith at the City Ground.
Free highlights: The Sky Sports app and YouTube channel will show highlights from shortly after the final whistle, with Match of the Day broadcasting on BBC One at 10.30pm BST.
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea team news
Murillo, Douglas Luiz and Oleksandr Zinchenko could all return for Forest, while striker Chris Wood is expected to be fit after a knock. Ola Aina remains out after hamstring surgery.
Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto are all doubts, with Benoit Badiashile also now out until December, joining Liam Delap, Levi Colwill and Dario Essugo on the sidelines, as well as the unavailable Mykhailo Mudryk.
Reece James, Andrey Santos, Wesley Fofana, Joao Pedro, Tosin Adarabioyo and Josh Acheampong are all fit, while Trevoh Chalobah is available again after suspension.
Setback: Cole Palmer likely won’t return for Chelsea until December
AFP via Getty Images
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea prediction
The first game after an international break is always a difficult fixture to navigate and Forest’s desperate need for three points will make things a bit more tricky for the Blues.
Still, that win over Liverpool should have bolstered the confidence within the Chelsea camp and we expect them to have too much quality for the hosts as the pressure builds on Postecoglou.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Nottingham Forest wins: 27
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea match odds
Nottingham Forest to win: 5/2
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
